Road to Nowhere
by Vicky Ocean
Summary: Jack and Sam are on the run and hiding out from the NID, who would very much like to dissect her. Ocean's 11 and Magnum PI crossover.
1. Your girl's in trouble again

**Road to Nowhere**

**Part 1**

All standard disclaimers apply. Just for kicks, pallies.

Set in Season 5 after 48 Hours but before Meridian. It will of course end up being AU.

_Note: I guess with this fic I'm answering a couple of my own challenges. One was a Magnum/SG-1 crossover. I just can' t get that out of my head and since no one has taken me up on it I'll try to make a go of it. Thomas, TC, and Rick will show up in later chapters. The second was Sam and Jack on the run on Earth. Jack has to use his black ops skills and connections to get them new identities and keep them one step ahead of whoever's after them. Any of you keeping up with my story Mysterious Distance, I'm sorry, but I've got to take a break from all that angst. Never fear I will finish it. I'm going to try to write these two stories concurrently. This one should be a little more on the fun side, but also not without angst. Jack's going to have to deal with some of the demons from his past._

* * *

Jack O'Neill sat at the bar, sipping his Guinness and watching Minnesota lose horribly. After they missed yet another goal he was ready to leave in disgust. Just as he tossed a couple of bills on the bar, a man came and plunked down on the stool next to him. Jack sighed heavily and sat back down. "Buy you a beer, Harry?"

"No time, Jack," Harry Maybourne replied. "Your girl's in trouble again."

"My girl?" Jack asked looking confused. "I wasn't aware I had one."

"You know, that brainy, leggy blonde you'd…what was it? Oh , yeah 'you'd rather die yourself than lose her'. Don't play stupid, Jack."

"If you're referring to Carter, she's not my 'girl'," he replied more than a little angry at Maybourne's insinuation. "She's my 2IC."

"We both know that's a mere technicality."

"Get to the point, Harry," Jack grated out. "My patience is a little thin right now."

"Okay. Fine. The bottom line is some people in the NID have decided your Major Carter's worth more to them on the dissecting table than she is out fighting to Goa'uld."

Jack closed his eyes for a moment hoping when he opened them that the man beside him would prove to be just a figment of his imagination. Unfortunately Harry was all too real and that meant what he had just revealed was all too real as well. Carter was in trouble.

"Apparently, the Adrian Conrad incident gave them some ideas," Harry continued. "You've got to move quick, Jack. They're going to grab her around 0200 tonight."

Jack glanced at his watch and grimaced. It was 2206 now. "Thanks for the advance notice, Harry."

"You're lucky I found out about it at all. I accidentally stumbled across this while I was researching something else."

Jack pulled out his cell phone and began dialing the SGC. Harry pulled the phone out of his hand and closed it. "That won't do any good. They're expecting something like that. She'll never make it into the SGC. You know how treacherous mountain roads can be. They don't need her alive. You're going to have to make her disappear, Jack. Without the benefit of the Stargate. I know you know how."

Jack sat thinking for a minute as he studied Maybourne. It was true he had proven useful in the past but Jack didn't really trust him as far as he could throw him. He could very easily be trying to lead them into a trap. "Why do this, Harry? What's in it for you?"

Harry shrugged, "We've both done some rather despicable thing in our time, Jack. I know you like to pretend you haven't. But even my stomach turns at the thought of what they would want to do her. I guess I owe her in a way. I'd probably be dead or enslaved or have a snake in my head if it wasn't for her."

"Trying to buy back your soul, huh, Harry?" Jack decided Maybourne was more than likely being straight with him.

"Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black?"

Jack ignored his needling and the urge to shoot him. "How are they planning to do this?"

"Make a grab for her while she's sleeping. Knock her out before she can put up a fight."

"0200?"

"Yeah."

"Thanks, Harry."

"I'd suggest you leave Dr. Jackson and your other pals out of this. They'll be watching them, especially when they find she's gone."

Jack nodded and made his way out of the bar.

TBC


	2. ExFactor

**Road to Nowhere**

**Part 2**

Sam awoke with a start to find a hand covering her mouth and warm breath on her ear. "Relax, Carter. It's me. Don't say anything, okay?" She nodded in response and he released her. She turned over to find the shadowy form of her CO kneeling by her bed. He leaned closer to her and whispered quietly in her ear, "Listen to me carefully, Carter. We're in danger, but we're going to get out. I want you to do everything I tell you when I tell you. No questions asked. Okay?" She nodded. "First of all, get dressed in something dark. Put on a dark hat or hood, too. Next get your gun and any cash you have on hand, no credit cards. Leave your ID and your dog tags. Don't turn any lights on and move quickly. They're watching the house. Understand?" She nodded again. "Good."

* * *

Sam and Jack had managed to sneak out of her house without being noticed. They made their way through various neighbors' back yards to a car that was parked several blocks away. Jack had 'borrowed' the car from one of his neighbors. She couldn't help but be a little impressed at how quickly he could hotwire a car. He might even be able to beat her at it. At her raised eyebrow he only smirked, "Misspent youth."

A short while later they ditched the car in a restaurant parking lot and walked several more blocks to a relatively new subdivision. Sam hadn't felt the need to ask any questions or even speak a word since he had awoken her. She trusted her commander implicitly, but she couldn't help but be curious about where they were going and why he hadn't mentioned Daniel yet. Surely if she and Jack were in danger Daniel must be as well.

They walked up to a pretty yellow painted two story house. Jack rang the door bell incessantly until the front porch light came on. A minute later the door opened and a tall thin woman with short sandy hair opened the door. Sam was shocked to recognize a woman she had only seen once in real life, but many times in the pictures of Jack's former family. Standing in her bathrobe at midnight, Sara O'Neill glared at her ex-husband and demanded, "Jack, what the hell do you want at this time of night?"

He didn't respond. He just quickly and gently pushed past her into the house. Sam followed and he shut the door behind her. Sara continued to glare at him.

"We need your help, Sara."

She laughed mirthlessly, "When has the great Jack O'Neill ever needed anyone's help?"

"Now. Sara, listen to me…"

Sara ignored him and turned to study Sam. "I know you. You were there at the hospital when that…thing happened."

Sam nodded, "I was."

"This is Major Samantha Carter, " Jack introduced her. "She's my second in command."

"I see," Sara looked her over once more and then turned her attention back to Jack. "So what is this? A matter of national security? What help could I possibly be?"

"We have to disappear, Sara. The less you know about what's going on the better."

"Made one too many enemies, huh, Jack?"

"Something like that."

She studied him for a long while. She shook her head and told him, "You have some gall Jack. I haven't seen hide nor hair of you in the four years since…whatever happened. And then you turn up out of the blue in the middle of the night asking for my help?"

"Yes," he replied honestly.

She nodded seemingly satisfied with his answer, "What do you need me to do?"

"Thank you, Sara," Jack smiled slightly and then turned into full command mode. "We have to change our appearnce. Get hair dye for Carter. Something an Air Force officer could never wear." He turned and looked Sam over. "Get some of that self tanning stuff, too. And make-up to match it. Oh, and get some black dye for me."

"You have gone pretty grey there, Jack. I wasn't going to say anything but…" she shrugged. "Is that all?"

"We might need to borrow a suitcase."

"What ever you need. Take it," Sara began climbing the stairs. " I'll go change and be on my way. Tony's on a business trip, but Sabrina's here. I'll let her know you'll be here while I'm gone."

"Sabrina?" Jack questioned.

Sara stopped and turned back to face him. "My daughter."

"Oh," he said softly. There was tiny moment of utter sorrow on his face before the impassive mask quickly fell back into place. "I knew you had gotten married, but I didn't…I'm happy for you, Sara."

"Thanks, Jack."

TBC


	3. Questions

**Road to Nowhere**

**Part 3**

After Sara left, Sam followed Jack up the stairs into what looked like the master bedroom. He set down the duffle bag he had been carrying and immediately went into the bathroom where he began digging through the drawers. "Why are we here, sir?"

"That's one of those meaning of life type questions Daniel's better off answering."

"_Sir_."

He had known she wouldn't hold her questions forever. He knew she trusted him and would follow his orders but she wouldn't follow them blindly and indefinitely without some answers. He'd always liked that about her. He had no use for mindless drones. He turned around meeting her determined gaze. "Major?"

"What's going on, sir?"

He continued his search and said over his shoulder. "The NID is after us."

"Why?"

"Why not?"

"What about Daniel, sir?"

"What about him?"

"Aren't they after him too?"

"No."

"How do you know all this?"

"Maybourne."

"Maybourne?"

"Yep."

"And you trust him?" she asked in disbelief.

"Not entirely." Jack allowed himself a small smile. Even though he hated to admit it even to himself Maybourne had kind of grown on him, but Sam's opinion of him hadn't changed since she first met him even after he'd help save her. He thought that was kind of funny. Usually Jack was the grudge holder and Sam the forgiver. "But he's come through before. Besides we're not in NID hands, are we now?"

"No, sir," she conceded. "But why just us?"

"He didn't know." Jack lied. He didn't want Sam to know that the NID were only really after her. It had taken her long enough to get over being captured and experimented on by Adrian Conrad's people. She had awakened screaming more than once off world. He also knew Janet had prescribed her sleeping pills for some time after the incident. He didn't want her to have to revisit those memories.

"How do you plan on getting to the SGC?"

"We're not. They'll be expecting that."

"So what are we going to do?"

"Disappear."

"How?"

He turned and smiled his slightly roguish smile. "Trust me."

"Always, sir," she smiled back.

"Here," he tossed a small bottle to her. "Paint your nails."

She stared at the glittery hot pink polish in her. "It's not exactly my style, sir."

"That's the point, Carter."

"Right."

* * *

Sam sat at a small dressing table in the bathroom while Sara applied the bight red color to her hair. She couldn't explain why, but she felt more than a little uncomfortable in the presence of her CO's ex-wife. She got the feeling the other woman was sizing her up. Why exactly she didn't know.

"So what do you do in the Air Force, Major?" Sara asked conversationally.

"I'm an astrophysicist."

"You're kidding right?" Sara laughed and then called out, "Jack, your second is an astrophysicist? What in the world do you do in that mountain?"

Sam could see in the reflection of the mirror as Jack stuck his head in the door and then moved to lounge in the doorway, "Deep space radar telemetry."

"What is that?"

"Y'know, I don't actually know. Carter, what is that?"

Sam smiled at his reflection. "Nothing you would be interested in, sir,"

Jack smiled back at her. "Ah, well. Good. I'm glad I don't do that then."

"So what does a special ops officer and an astrophysicist do together?"

Sam felt herself blush. She clearly heard the innuendo in Sara's question.

"Sara," Jack said in a warning tone. "You know better than to ask questions like that." Sam wasn't entirely sure he was talking about their insinuated unprofessional relationship or the classified nature of their work.

"My father always said you were the most closed mouth Irishman he'd ever seen," Sara said with a trace of irritation in her voice.

"He also said you talked too much, too," Jack said as he went back into the bedroom.

* * *

Jack was systematically going through his ex-wife's closet looking for un-Carter-like clothes for Sam. Most of Sara's clothes were very un-Carter-like. Sara had often verged on the frumpy-side, though not to say that Sara dressed unattractively. She just seemed to have a more sedate sense of style than Sam. There were no leather pants in Sara's closet. Not that Sam could have worn Sara's pants anyway. Sara and Sam were nearly the same height but their body styles were completely different. Sara had a skinny boyish figure and Sam…didn't. Jack decided to stop thinking about Sam's figure before his imagination got away from him. He began to dig through Sara's shoe's. "Hey, Carter," he called out.

"Yes, sir?"

"You wear what- a 8 ½ in shoes?"

"Yes, sir. Sometimes a 9."

"Good." Sara wore a 9. That worked out well.

Jack dug deeper into the shoe boxes until he came to rather large shoebox that was familiar to him. He pulled out and lifted the lid and looked down at the boots lying in the yellowed tissue paper. He remember having these boots made in Italy for Sara. They had just started dating when he had been deployed overseas. When he left the states it had been the height of the country and western craze in the early 1980s influence by Dallas and Urban Cowboy. In fact their last date before he left had been in a honky-tonk in Denver where they had danced all night. Well, up until Jack had gotten dragged into a fight and they had gotten thrown out. While he was stationed for a short time at an Italian air base he had spent a small fortune on a pair of custom made cowboy boot for Sara. He picked up one of the supple chocolate suede and caramel leather boots and looked at the perfectly clean sole. "You never wore these," he told the woman that had come to stand behind him.

"The whole Urban Cowboy fad was over with by the time you got back."

"I guess," he sighed. It was true. "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For being gone so much."

Sara sat down heavily on the corner of the bed, "I understood. Mostly. It was hard. We had some good times though, Jack."

"We did," Jack replied and they sat in silence for quite sometime. Each remembering the happier times of their marriage.

"Sir?"

Jack broke from his reverie and looked up to see a darkly tanned Sam standing in the doorway in Sara's bathrobe and a towel wrapped around her head. "I guess it's my turn, huh?" Jack stood taking the boots out of the box, and adding them to the small pile of clothes on the bed. "There's some clothes for you, Carter. I think that stuff should fit."

"Yes, sir."

Jack turned to Sara, "You gonna help me out?"

"Wouldn't just be easier to shave your head?"

He gave her a dark look as he picked up his bag. "No."

-

TBC


	4. New Looks

**Road to Nowhere**

**Part 4**

Sam stared at herself in the mirror. If she had to say so herself she didn't look anything like Major Sam Carter, Intergalactic Explorer. Her hair was a wild combination of bright auburn and chunky honey colored highlights. Her skin was deeply (if fakely) tanned. She had applied her make up a little heavier than she normally would have. Her nails painted a garish pink. The apple green sweater Jack had picked out for her would have been oversized on Sara but fit her pretty well and it was long enough to conceal her pistol. It wasn't a color she would have normally picked to wear but it suited her new complexion and hair. She wore her own jeans and the cowboy boots that had been left for her. She look down at her feet again. The boots weren't anything she would have ever chosen for herself. She preferred heavier motorcycle type boots, but she had to admit these had a certain irreverent style about them she could get used to.

* * *

Jack had been sitting quietly seeming lost in thought while Sara applied the color to his hair. She could take his sarcasm and his goofy jokes with no problem, but his silences had always unnerved her. She had never understood how he could repress everything and withdraw so completely into himself. That had always scared her a little, the way he bottled everything up. A man could only take so much, even if he was Jack O'Neill, and when he finally snapped it was going to be very bad. She knew he had come very close to it when Charlie died. She had found the gun he had hidden in their son's room when he went on what she knew he hoped would be a suicide mission. She had often wondered over the years if he would have been so suicidal if she had been the one to die. She didn't think so.

Finally, she could take the silence no longer and spoke. "You're scared, Jack."

"What?" he asked meeting her eyes in the reflection of the mirror.

"You're scared. I've never seen you scared before. Well, once, I guess," she amended remembering him finding Charlie bleeding to death.

He didn't respond. He just looked down at his hands fidgeting with one of Sabrina's glittery hair clips.

"You're afraid for Major Carter, aren't you?"

Jack thought for a moment as he considered how to word his response. "Carter survived something she shouldn't have a couple of years ago. This wealthy terminally ill guy somehow found out about it and thought she could be the key to curing him. She was kidnapped and experimented on. We found her just as the 'doctors' were about to kill her."

"Oh, my God. That's horrible."

"Carter's strong. Don't be fooled by the geeky astrophysicist stuff. She's a damn fine soldier, but it took her a lot to get over what they did to her. I don't really think she's over it now. It's hard to tell with her. She keeps a lot to herself."

"Been taking lessons from you?"

"Maybe. Anyway I got word tonight that a rogue element of the NID was planning on grabbing her tonight to continue studying her. I can't let that happen."

"So you're going to do what? Go AWOL and try to disappear?"

"Something like that. I won't let her go through that again," he finished quietly.

"You care about her."

"Of course I do. She's part of my team."

"Of course." She knew she would get anything more out of him than that. "You're a good man, Jack."

* * *

The house was so quiet, Sam couldn't help up overhear the conversation that filtered through closed door of the bathroom. The NID wanted to use her the same way Adrian Conrad had. Her knees went weak at the very thought. She sat down on the bed and forced herself to remain calm. If she was going to get through this she wasn't going to do it by falling apart.

The bathroom door opened and Sara came out. One look at Sam's face told her that she had overheard their conversation. She walked over and sat beside Sam on the bed. "Jack would do anything to protect you, Major."

"That's what I'm worried about."

"Oh?"

"The colonel's made lot of enemies. They're just looking for a chance to get their hands on him. I don't want to be the reason they do."

"Then the two of you will just have to take care of each other."

Sam looked over at the other woman. "Thank you all you've done for me tonight. You had no reason to."

"Sure I do. You're probably one of the reason's Jack's still alive."

The bathroom door opened again and a man who looked nothing like Colonel Jack O'Neill stepped out. Both Sara and Sam could not help but gape at him in silence.

"What?" he demanded.

"Jack, you look very…" Sara trailed off.

"Hip," Sam supplied. She couldn't help but smile. "Have you started reading GQ, sir?"

"Oh, shut up, Carter."

Sara and Sam continued to stare at him. His normal irreverent grey hair was now black and slicked back with not a hair out of place. The black hair combined with his tan and dark eyes gave him a vaguely Italian or Hispanic look. He had on a crisp white fitted oxford shirt and trendy low waisted jeans. The jeans were much tighter than the baggy jeans and khakis he normally wore and had that distressed, worn-out look that was so popular then. His shirt was actually tucked in too. The outfit changed his entire silhouette. He no longer had the relaxed slightly rugged look. He looked very cosmopolitan. The black blazer he pulled on to conceal his gun did nothing to change that assessment.

Sara could no longer hold back a laugh. "Where in the world did you get those jeans, Jack?"

Jack scowled at her for laughing but answered her question, "A very persistent teenager shanghaied me."

"Cassie got you buy those, sir?" Sam chuckled. She knew just how persuasive Cassie could be.

"Yeah, the same time she conned me into buying her those jeans that Janet wouldn't get her. She insisted I buy some for myself. She would stop irritating me until I did."

"I can't believe she got you to buy yourself a pair of 150 Diesel jeans, sir."

"Me either. I told her they looked ridiculous on me, but you know how she gets all pouty. I just wanted to shut her up."

"She's got you wrapped around her little finger, sir."

Jack didn't bother to respond because he knew it was true. He glared at the two women sitting on the bed. "You can stop giggling now. Especially you, Carter. You're not exactly looking like yourself either."

"Yes, sir," she said trying to hold back her amused smile.

Jack ignored them and set his duffle bag on the bed next to the small suitcase he'd packed for Carter. He opened the bag and pulled a small lock box out. He gave Carter a purse he'd appropriated earlier from Sara's closet and the a stack of cash. Sam stared in awe at the bills in her hand and began to count it. "That's ten thousand," he told her. "Don't spend it all in one place."

"Sir…"

"If for some reason we get separated I don't want you destitute. It's easier to by your way out of trouble sometimes. Don't worry I've got the same for me."

"Yes, sir," Sam began distributing the bills in her jean pockets, her jacket pockets, and her purse. Jack did the same with his funds.

"Are you sure you haven't taken to robbing banks, Jack?" Sara asked.

"No. I've actually been expecting something like this might happen one day and I'd need to disappear." Jack began digging through the lock box again. Sam looked over to see a myriad of passport and IDs, not all for the United States either. Jack looked over at his ex-wife. "Sara, the Mustang still in your dad's name?"

"Yeah, why?" She frowned as she followed his line of thought. "No. You're not taking the Mustang."

"Sara, we need a car and a fast one would be preferable. Besides I have an ID your dad's name."

"You what? Why?" Sara closed her eyes and then sighed in resignation. "Fine. Take it. It was supposed to be Charlie's one day anyway. He would want you to have it." Sara stood and got a set of keys off the dresser and held them out to him.

* * *

Sam couldn't help but admire the 1965 Mustang Fastback sitting in the garage. It had been beautifully restored.

After Jack put their bags in the trunk he turned to Sara. "I can't thank you for everything you've done for us, Sara."

"Yeah, well, just be careful, Jack. I guess I won't see you again."

Jack shook his head. "Not if we do this right. Well," he paused. "If we do this wrong we'll probably be dead, so…I guess this is it."

She hugged Jack quickly and he held onto her tightly for a moment before getting into the car.

"Major Carter," Sara called out and Sam paused as she was about to climb in. "Take care of him."

"I'll try."

Sam shut the door. Jack turned the ignition and the engine came to life with an impressive roar.

The radio came to life, '_With a red head ridin' shotgun and a pistol by my side, Tearin' down that highway like a modern day Bonnie and Clyde.' _Jack turned to grin at Sam, "Well this is appropriate."

"Let's hope we just don't end dying like them," Sam replied.

"Point," Jack put the car in reverse and backed out. "To Oz then."

-

TBC


	5. Road Block

**Road to Nowhere**

**Part 5**

Jack had switched the country station to NPR as they drove through Colorado Springs. It seemed to be Chopin night. The music and movement of the car would normally be very relaxing to Sam, but it was hard to be relaxed when you were on the run from a rogue government agency who wanted to turn you into a science project. It was going on 0300 and by now the NID would have realized that Sam had escaped and would be searching for her. Sam glanced over at Jack. Unsurprisingly he seemed to have a lot on is mind. She did too.

"What?"

"Sir?" she asked startled and only just realizing she'd been staring at him for some time trying to work out what was going on in his mind. "I'm sorry. I was just thinking."

"Imagine that." She turns away and stares out her window and he thinks that may have sounded a little hasher than he intended. He says in a gentler voice, "Seriously. What's on your mind?"

"There's no way we can let anyone know what's going on, can we? They'll be closely watching Daniel, Janet, General Hammond.…everyone. Their houses will be watched, phones tapped, and they'll be followed. We can't even let them know we're alright, can we, sir?"

"No. I'm sorry, Carter, but this is the only way."

"I know, sir. I'll just miss them."

"Me, too."

"So who are we now, sir?"

"For the moment I'm Michael Truex and you're…" he glanced over at Sam and his eyes were immediately drawn to her newly red hair. "Lucy."

Sam snorted in laughter, "Ricardo?"

He smirked at her, "Simpson."

She was about to respond when they rounded a curve in the road and were greeted by the flashing blue lights of a police road block.

"Crap."

Jack unrolled his window and smiled pleasantly at the police officer as he handed him his ID and insurance information.. The officer inspected it under his flashlight and handed it back to Jack seemingly satisfied. "Where are you folks going this late at night?"

"We got a call that my dad just died. We're on our way to Denver now to be with my mom."

"I'm sorry to hear that, sir," the officer responded politely. He turned his flash light onto Sam. "Can I see your ID, ma'am?"

"Sure." Sam dug around the floor board as if she was looking for her purse.

"Lucy, don't tell me you forgot your purse," Jack told her in an exuberated tone.

"I can't find it, Mike. I must have," she told him and then said to the officer sounding embarrassed. "I'm sorry, officer. I must have forgotten my purse. We were in such a hurry to leave."

The officer studied her in the light of the flashlight for a moment, "That's understandable, ma'am. I'm sorry for your loss. You can go. Drive safely."

"Thanks." Jack rolled up the window and drove away.

"Think they were looking for us, sir?"

"Yep. C'mon, Carter I know with all you're speeding tickets you know they don't ask for the passengers ID."

"Right. I wonder what the NID says were wanted for."

"Spies, murderers, or something like that."

"Great."

-

TBC

Thanks for all the wonderful reviews. They really keep me writing.


	6. Pancakes and Nightmares

**

* * *

Road to Nowhere**

**Part 6**

They drove on mostly in silence. Small talk didn't seem to be appropriate when you were on the run for your lives. Jack drove fast but was careful not go very far over the speed limit. Sam wondered where they were headed, but didn't ask. She could see the wheels turning in Jack's mind as he silently considered strategies and possible outcomes. It was around dawn when they finally crossed the Colorado state line. Jack exited from the interstate and pulled into a gas station.

Jack got back into the car after pumping gas and gestured to the IHOP across the street, "How do you feel about pancakes, Carter?"

"Do you think we should, sir?"

"We've got to eat and I think it's safe to say that if they knew what direction we went in they would have caught up with us by now."

"Yes, sir."

"Carter, don't do the 'sir' thing in public. It'll sound weird."

"Yes, sir."

Jack rolled his eyes. They were AWOL and she was still calling him 'sir'.

* * *

They ate in silence. Sam could tell Jack had something on his mind and it wasn't their current situation. "S-um-" Sam began. She had stopped the 'sir', but wasn't exactly sure if she should call him 'Jack' in public either. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, sure," he answered too quickly. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know. That's why I'm asking."

Jack was silent again as he stirred a piece of his pancake around in the puddle of syrup in his plate. After a while he spoke, "I didn't know that Sara had another kid. Sitting here now is the first time I've had a chance to let that sink in. It makes me think of …other things."

"I'm sorry."

"Yeah, well. I'm glad she's happy, at least."

"Haven't you been happy?" Sam asked. She knew he was a man that kept his emotions closely in check so it was hard to read what he felt. That being said she thought he had been happy on SG-1. Maybe not as happy as with his wife and son but still not unhappy.

"Well, yeah. I got- or had a cool job and you guys have become my family. I'd be afraid to see who I was if I didn't have you in my life. It's just…"

"You miss what you had."

"Yeah." Jack seemed to shake off his melancholy and nodded to the motel across the parking lot from the restaurant. "We should get some sleep."

* * *

Sam dug through the suitcase Jack had packed for her, but she couldn't find any pajamas. "Uh, sir, can I borrow one of your shirts to sleep in?"

"Sure," he handed her the T-shirt he'd been wearing before his makeover. He had considered borrowing a pair of Sara's pajama's for Sam but had decided against it. Pajamas no matter how modest seemed a far too intimate thing to share especially between his ex-wife and the woman he cared about a lot more than he should. Besides if he was honest he kind of liked the thought of Sam wearing his clothes.

Sam took the shirt he offered and went into the bathroom to change.

* * *

When Jack came back out the bathroom from changing, he found Sam already asleep. He went over to the window and pulled back the curtain surveying the parking lot. Nothing seemed amiss so he climbed into the other bed and was soon asleep himself.

A short while later he awoke to the sound of a tussle and immediately grabbed his gun from the bedside table. He inspected the room but found no intruders, only Sam fighting with her sheets in the throws of a nightmare. He set his gun down and immediately went over to her. He untwisted the sheets confining her legs and was promptly knocked on his ass by a flailing leg for his efforts. He quickly got back to his feet and grasped her shoulders tightly restraining her movements. "Carter, wake up. Carter, c'mon. Wake up. It's just a nightmare. Carter, you're safe. Carter-"

Sam awoke with a gasp and slowly focused on the man clutching her arms, "Sir?"

Jack winced internally at the use of her 'sir' even obviously terrified by a nightmare. Then she tore herself from his grasp and threw herself into his arms. He held her close and she held onto him even tighter clutching at the material of his t-shirt. He felt her tears hot and damp on his neck. "Shhh, Carter. It's okay. You're safe." He rocked her back and forth and rubbed her back soothingly. Before long her sobs eased and he asked gently, "You wanna tell me what the nightmare was about?"

She took a deep breath, but still clung to him. "Adrian Conrad."

"Ah," he sighed. "You heard Sara and I talking." She nodded against his chest. "I didn't want you to have to remember."

"I know, sir," he barely heard her mumble.

Jack withdrew his arms and she held on tighter. He felt her short nails digging onto his back through the fabric of his shirt. "Carter, look at me." He reached up and pulled her face from his neck forcing her to look at him. He wiped her tears away with his thumbs. "Carter, look at me," he again commanded gently and she finally met his eyes. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you. I promise no one will do that to you again. I promise, Sam. I 'm gonna keep you safe."

* * *

Sam awoke feeling warm and safe. She snuggled closer to her source of warm comfort until she realized her bare legs were tangled with someone else's bare legs. Then she remembered her nightmare and Colonel O'Neill comforting her. She must have fallen asleep in his arms. It was terribly embarrassing. She tried to extricate herself from his embrace without waking him, but she should have known she wouldn't succeed. The arm around her waist tightened and his sleepy voice asked, "Where ya goin', Carter?"

"I'm sorry, sir," she said still trying to pull away from him.

"For what?"

"For falling apart, sir. I'm an Air Force Major. I shouldn't be balling my eyes out in my CO's arms because of a bad dream. I'm sorry I let you down."

"Don't be stupid, Carter. You haven't let me down. Both of us have been through some heavy shit. Stuff no one should have to go through. You don't think I have nightmares? I can't tell you how many nights I've woken up screaming. It's nothing to be ashamed of. Neither is needing someone to hold you." He brushed the hair from her forehead and turned her face to him. "Carter, you're one of the strongest people I've ever come across. I don't know how you've gotten through all you have. I don't know if I could have. I'm proud of you. Nothing's ever gonna change that." She blushed and tried to turn her face away from him, but he held her firmly. "Carter, listen to me. I won't lie to you. We're going to have a tough time and all we'll really be able to rely on is each other. And I'm here for you no matter what. I'm not gonna let those bastards get their hands on you. I swear." He hugged her tightly to him allowing himself to revel holding her in his arms. There were times when he wouldn't have minded remaining Jonah. Things were much simpler for him.

"Sir?"

"Just relax, Carter," he mumbled into her hair.

"I've got to go to the bathroom, sir."

"Oh, sorry," he released her. She crawled out of the bed and he watched walk into the bathroom. Her long legs were revealed beneath the hem of his shirt seemed to go on for miles. Yep, he certainly liked her wearing in his shirts.

* * *

They ate at IHOP again and were on the road shortly after dusk.

"Sir, if you don't mind me asking, where are we headed?" Sam asked.

"Vegas."

"Vegas?" she looked perplexed.

"Yep," Jack glanced at her with a mischievous smirk. "Don't you want to get hitched?"

"As in married, sir?"

"Sure. Why not?" he couldn't resist teasing her more.

"Well, I- uh-" she stopped. She had no idea what to say. The thought wasn't unappealing, but sudden and not entirely appropriate given the previous and current situation.

Jack let her mental wheels spin for a couple more seconds. He really enjoyed making at loss for words. "Kidding, Carter. Kidding."

"Oh." she sounded inexplicably vaguely disappointed. "So we're not going to Vegas, sir?"

"No, we are. We need to get you a new identity and Vegas is the best place around these parts to do it."

-

TBC

_Falcon6- The name of the song is 'Modern Day Bonnie and Clyde' by Travis Tritt. I just liked that part the rest of the song really isn't appropriate_.


	7. Vegas, Baby Vegas

**Road to Nowhere**

**Part 7**

"Viva Las Vegas," Jack muttered as the city limits were announced with a neon sign.

"So where to now? The Luxor?" Sam asked from behind the wheel. Jack had allowed her to drive part of this leg of the journey with a warning to watch her speed.

"Y'know, as much as those holding cells on Goa'uld motherships have started to feel like home, I'm thinking' something a little more old school Vegas. Head for the Xanadu. I got connections there."

"'Old school Vegas'? What does that mean?"

"A casino that isn't run by a big corporation."

"You mean like mob run?"

"Kinda," Jack shrugged.

Sam shook her head and not for the first wondered what Jack had up his sleeve.

* * *

"I wanna see Reuben," Jack told the woman at the desk. 

"Mr. Tishkoff is busy," she replied coldly.

"I'm sure he is, but I think he'll see me. Tell him Jacky from Minnesota is here."

The secretary rolled her eyes, but dutiful picked up the phone.

Sam looked over at Jack and quirked an eyebrow. "'Jacky'?"

"Nobody had best hear about that, 'Sammie'," he told her sternly.

"Whatever you say, Jacky," she replied with a amused smile.

Jack was just about to retort when the secretary got off the phone. "Mr. Tichkoff will see you, sir," she said as she rose to lead them to the office behind her.

"Jacky! What the hell are you doing here? And why the hell do you look like that?"

Sam smiled as a large man with thick black framed glasses and flashy Versace shirt under his suit enveloped Jack in a huge hug.

Jack pulled away smiling, "I'm in disguise, Reuben."

"Well, you certainly don't look like Jacky O'Neill. What gives?"

"I'm in a tad bit of trouble."

"A 'tad'?" Reuben laughed. "When the hell aren't you?" Then he turned his attention to Sam. "He get you in trouble?"

"No, actually I got him in trouble," Sam responded with a smile. She decided she liked this boisterous man.

"Well, if anybody'll get you out it's Jacky. He's had lots of practice."

"Thanks, I think." Jack gestured to Sam. "Reuben, this is Sam Carter. Sam, Reuben Tishkoff."

"Nice to meet you." Reuben shook her offered hand and then demanded, "Did he dress you up like that?"

"Yes."

"You're an idiot, Jacky. Hiding a beautiful lady like this."

"Reuben, we're in disguise," Jack repeated again good naturedly.

Reuben grinned and moved back behind his desk. "Sit. Sit," he gestured to the chairs in front of his desk. They sat and Reuben picked up his cigar from the ash tray on his desk. "You two had lunch yet?"

"No," Jack replied. "We just got into town."

Reuben picked up his phone, "Amy, send up lunch for three. The ginger chicken salad." He glanced over at Sam, "You allergic to ginger?"

"No, ginger's fine. Thank you."

"Three ginger chicken salad's then, Amy. Thanks." Reuben hung up the phone and leaned back into his chair, puffing on his cigar. "So, Jacky, what ya need?"

"Well, most importantly, we need new IDs," Jack told him. "The works."

Reuben nodded and suggested, "EP."

"I thought of him, but I figured he'd be retired by now."

"Eh, semi-retired," Reuben gestured with his cigar. "His kid's pretty much taken over by now, calls himself EP2."

"He any good?"

"Oh, yeah. Does a lot of fancy stuff with computers. He can make you a whole new life."

"Excellent," Jack nodded in satisfaction.

"How're you in the cash department?"

"We're good. I've got a decent amount set aside for this kind of thing."

"You always were a smart kid, Jacky. But I'll set you up a line of credit while you're here. You're going to need some things for tonight. The credit will be good at any of the shops in the hotel."

"That's not really necessary, Reube."

He waved Jack's protests away, "No, need to spend all you're dough in one place."

"Thanks."

The door opened and Reuben's secretary came in with a tray. Reuben led them over to a couch and chairs in the corner of his office. Amy set the tray down on the table and Sam sat beside Jack on the couch.

"Anything else, Mr. Tishkoff?" Amy asked.

"Yeah, contact EP and tell him I'm sending him a couple over tonight and they need the works."

"Yes, sir."

"And set up a line of credit for…" Reuben looked questioningly at Jack

"Michael Truex and Lucy Simpson," he supplied.

"You heard, Amy."

"Yes, sir," she replied again and shut the door to the office.

"Your father-in-law, Jacky?"

"Ex-father-in-law," he clarified. "And who would suspect?"

"True," Reuben picked up his plate. He took a bite his ginger chicken and then waved his fork at Sam. "You know how I met this kid?"

"No, " Sam responded suddenly curious. She had been quiet since Jack and Reuben started discussing what they needed. Jack seemed to know what he was doing and she was content to follow his lead, but she couldn't help wondering how an Air Force Colonel made the acquaintance of such a flamboyant casino boss.

"Reuben, do we really need to share this story?" Jack asked shifting uncomfortably.

"Sure. I just want Sam to know what she's getting into with you." Reuben turned his attention back to an interested Sam. "It was the summer of '64 in Chicago. I was eighteen and my Pop had given me a red Cadillac convertible for my birthday. Beautiful car. I had parked it outside my barbershop and when I went back out, it was gone. Well, I called my Pop and the police. The cops were taking my statement when here comes my car back down the street and parks in the same place it was before. Then out was this tall skinny kid and cool as anything walks up and says, 'Didn't mean any trouble, folks. I just wanted to see if I could hotwire a car.' This kid was twelve years old!" Reuben pointed with his fork at Jack, who was staring very intently at his ginger chicken. "Can you believe that?"

Sam laughed and looked over at the red faced man next to her. "Actually I can."

Jack huffed avoided her eye and glared at Reuben. "Can we please stick to the matter at hand?"

"Okay. Okay," he grinned holding up his hands in surrender. "You two go to EP's tonight and then hole up here until he gets your stuff ready."

"Sounds like a plan," Jack agreed and dug back into his food. A little while later a thought struck him and he asked Reuben, "Hey, what's Danny and Rusty up to these days?"

"Danny's in jail."

"No way. What happened?"

"He got caught trying to get rid of some kind of ancient mask thing, supposed to be worth big bucks. Rusty was in Italy but I hear he's in LA these days. "

"That's convenient," Jack said thoughtfully. "I was thinking about heading in that direction."

"I can get you his address."

"I appreciate this, Reuben. Really."

"Ah, hell, Jacky, it's not like you haven't helped me out of a jam or two." Reuben stood. "I'll have your luggage sent up to the Shangri-la suite. Stay as long as you need to."

Jack got to his feet and shook the other man's hand gratefully, "Thanks, but we'll be outta here as soon as EP's done. I don't want to cause you any trouble."

Sam moved to stand beside Jack. She smiled at Reuben, "Thank you for lunch. Is was great."

"I'm glad you liked it, Sam. We'll have dinner after you're done at EP's. I've still got a couple of story's about Jacky."

"I'll look forward to it."

Jack glared at Reuben one last time before leading Sam out of the office. Sam followed him out to the lobby before she finally decided to speak up, "So what now?"

Jack raised a hand to run through his hair but stopped thinking better of it. He would only ruin the slicked down look. He dropped his hand, "Well, now we go shopping."

"Shopping for what?"

Jack held up his hand and began ticking things off on his fingers, "You need a dress, I need a suit, and rings. That's about it I think."

"What?"

"It'd be mighty suspicious to show up at a wedding chapel without being part of a wedding party."

"Wedding party?"

"Yes, we have an appointment at EP's House O' Love."

Sam stopped walking and stared after him. Jack noticed she wasn't with him and turned back around. "Relax. It's just a front."

She still stared at him.

"Trust me."

Sam took a breath and then her lips twitched in to a smile. "I'm not wearing a veil."

Jack chuckled and they began walking again. "I guess that's okay. You did wear one at our first wedding after all."

Sam stopped in her tracks again, "Excuse me? First wedding?"

"Remember, I traded my weapon for you. Daniel says according to Shavadai culture and a couple of others that means we're married."

"Remind me to trade Daniel to someone next time."

"Maybe you can get a big honkin' space gun for him," Jack smiled at the thought. "You know those alien chicks go nuts over him."

TBC

A/N- As I hope you've figured out Rubin is a character from Ocean's 11. This story takes place about a year before the events of the movie. More crossovers to come.


	8. Cake and Ice Cream

**Road To Nowhere**

**Part 8**

A/N- Just a small quick update to see what's going on in Colorado Springs

* * *

"Maybe they went to Vegas."

Daniel, Teal'c, and Janet all turned to stare at Cassie. She just shrugged off their looks of disbelief. "I mean, c'mon, they eventually had to snap from all that sexual tension."

"So," Daniel, finding his voice first, began. "What you're suggesting is that instead of one or both of them resigning and having a nice normal wedding attended by their friends and family, they just went AWOL and took off to get hitched in Vegas."

"Basically," Cassie licked the ice cream off her spoon. "We should call the Luxor and see if their registered."

"That's a bit farfetched even for one of Jack's zany ideas," Daniel told her.

"Indeed," Teal'c agreed.

Janet looked thoughtful and then got up to get the phone. "Las Vegas, Nevada…Luxor Hotel and Casino…Yes, hi, could you tell me if you have a Jack O'Neill or Samantha Carter registered?…No, well, thank you very much." Janet plopped back down at the table and snatched the tub of ice cream from her daughter's hands. "It was worth a shot."

Daniel smiled, "Janet, you are an eternal optimist."

"If find it difficult to believe that Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter would both disappear in such a manner except under duress."

"You're right, Teal'c, even though the investigators couldn't find any evidence of foul play. It's strange that Sam took off without her purse or driver's license. They both left their dog tags on their nightstands and their car and house keys. It's like they just vanished."

"What about Thor?" Cassie asked. "He likes to steal Jack, doesn't he?"

"General Hammond already contacted the Asgard," Janet said. "They don't have them."

"It just doesn't make sense," Daniel sighed. "Hammond's even sent people to Jack's cabin. I was actually kinda hoping Jack finally convinced her to go."

"Well, I hate to say this but Colonel O'Neill was Black Ops," Janet pointed out. "He knows how to disappear."

Teal'c gave a small nod of agreement. "If O'Neill knew Major Carter was in danger, he would do anything to protect her."

"But why wouldn't they contact us?"

"Perhaps they are unable to do so, Daniel Jackson."

"Well, they're not officially AWOL until Monday," Daniel pulled off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "If we haven't heard anything by then I'll try to contact Maybourne. He helped out Jack when Adrian Conrad had Sam. I guess we just wait and see until then."

"So," Cassie turned to her mother. "Can I have a piece of cake now or do we have to wait to see if they come back on Monday? Sam's birthday is really Monday anyway."

"Go ahead, Cassie. I have a bad feeling they won't be back."

Cassie jumped out of her chair and went to a kitchen and Daniel called out after her, "Make sure you set aside a piece for Jack just in case. You know how pissy he gets about cake."

TBC


	9. PreWedding Nerves

**Road to Nowhere**

**Part 9**

Note: Sorry for the wait on the update. I've rewritten this part and the next about a zillion times trying to get the right tone. I'm trying not to be overly sappy. Though this is a romance, sap isn't the tone I'm going for in this story. Please let me know if it looks like I'm moving into the sap zone. Next update will be out soon now that I think I've set myself straight.

* * *

"That's not the one I would have picked out."

Sam looked up in surprise from the ring she was pointing to.

"It's too small," Jack said qualifying his previous statement.

"Does it matter?" she asked in astonishment. They were picking out rings for their fake wedding and he was concerned about the size of the diamond. She began to wonder if maybe his lunch wasn't laced with something strange.

"I guess not."

Or maybe her lunch had been laced with something because strangely he sound a little insulted. "Okay, then which one would you pick?"

Jack immediately walked over to another counter containing estate jewelry that Sam had looked at a little earlier. Sam moved over to him and the salesgirl helping them went to stand behind the counter Jack was at. "That one," Jack said pointing and the salesgirl lifted it out of the case.

"Excellent choice, sir," the salesgirl smiled at him in encouragement.

Jack smiled smugly at Sam as if to say, 'See she likes it.' And it wasn't as if Sam didn't like it, in fact that very ring had caught her eye when she had perused the case earlier. She picked up the ring. It was a medium sized square cut diamond flanked on all sides by triangular cut sapphires, forming a something of star pattern. She really liked it but didn't see the point of spending so much on something just to maintain their cover.

"We'll take it," Jack said with finality and the dutiful 2IC in her knew better than to argue when he used that tone of voice.

* * *

"God, I feel like I've been kidnapped Yu," Sam said as she slowly spun around taking in the Asian Vegas kitsch of the Shangri-la suite.

"I resent that," Jack said fixing her with a feigned hurt look. "You didn't have to come. You could have waited for the NID."

"Not you, you. Yu, Yu."

"It's so clear now."

"Lord Yu. System Lord Yu."

"Ah. He confuses me."

"No, he doesn't, sir. You just like to make jokes about his name."

"Maybe." He gestured toward the bedrooms. "Well it looks like Reuben hooked us up with the Rainman suite. Pick your room. We should take a nap before our… appointment."

"Yes, sir."

Jack rolled his eyes and trudged into the room next to hers.

* * *

Jack forced himself to lay down and rest, but he really couldn't relax enough to go to sleep. Partly it was because he had one ear listening for the sounds of Sam caught in a nightmare. He had enough experience with darkness lurking in his dreams to know the one she had yesterday wasn't likely to be an isolated event. He had taken the room next to hers and left his door open for that very reason, but she didn't seem to have one. He was glad. She needed her rest. Life on the run required you to get rest when you could, because you never knew when and what form danger might pop up in.

Though if Jack was honest with himself, he wouldn't have minded comforting her again. Not that he wished a nightmare on her, he just liked waking up with her in his arms. It had been… nice. Yet tortuous at the same time. It was little moments like that made him feel like he had been sucker-punched. It reinforced exactly how lonely he was and how much more he craved than those fleeting moments that ended up locked in up tight in that metaphorical room.

And now they were thrust together, running for their lives and about to pretend to get married. It was tactically the best option. Not only for acquiring their new IDs from EP, but it was a lot less conspicuous to be traveling as a married couple. While Jack was sure that the NID was aware of their 'feelings' for one another, he didn't think that they would consider them masquerading as married. It made him uncomfortable. It made it harder to suppress all those pesky emotions that kept getting him in trouble. He was sure Sam was made uncomfortable by their impending pseudo-nuptials as well. He wasn't sure if it was because she no longer felt for him as strongly as he believed she did in the past or because she did and was suppressing it as he was.

He felt stupid for pushing for the antique ring. It was a hell of a lot more expensive than the miniscule ring she'd picked out, but he'd had the credit from Reuben and Jack was good for it. He knew he'd over-reacted but he couldn't help feeling at least mildly insulted that she seemed to think that he would have proposed with such a boring pedestrian ring. He felt like an idiot for feeling that way, because it wasn't like he really proposed. The whole thing was just a cover anyway.

The whole thing was just so screwed up, but he'd take screwed up as long as Sam was safe.

* * *

Jack knocked on Sam's bedroom door.

"Come on in," she called. "I'm almost done."

Jack pushed the door open and walked through the bedroom glancing briefly at the huge golden Buddha covered with several towels. He made his way to the bathroom where Sam sat at a dressing table applying her make up.

"What's with Buddha?" he asked sitting down on the edge of the huge garden tub.

"He was staring at me. I couldn't go to sleep. It was creepy."

Jack chuckled and tried desperately not to look as uncomfortable as he felt. Sam was dressed in silky lavender robe, that he guessed she had bought earlier in the lingerie store that he had refused to step into. He had sat on the bench outside unobtrusively keeping an eye on her movements as she shopped, but he had no idea what she had purchased. He tried if at all possible not to think about those kinds of things in relation to Sam. He had found it made it difficult to remain professional if he was thinking about what was underneath all that olive drab.

Jack watched her reflection in the mirror as she carefully applied her makeup. It felt oddly intimate. He remembered enjoying watching Sara put on her 'war paint', as she called it, for all those Military Balls. She hadn't really used a lot of make up except for those formal times. Back then he took advantage of every spare moment he had to spend with his wife. He was so often away, their time together was precious. Jack knew that was the reason he was always wandering into Sam's lab. He just enjoyed the illicit pleasure of just being in her presence.

"What?" Sam asked as she caught Jack's tiny wistful smile in the mirror.

"Huh?" Jack asked, startled out of his musings.

"What was that smile about?"

"Nothin'."

"Heard that before." Sam stood and packed up her makeup. Jack watched her go behind the folding screen painted with a Chinese style misty mountain scene. The lavender robe was thrown over the top and Jack decided to ponder the Wild's chance at the Stanley Cup this year.

"Damn!" Jack glanced up to see Sam walking out from behind the screen and up to him. She turned her back to him reveling and expanse of fake tanned skin. "Could you finish buttoning me up, sir? I can't reach all the buttons."

For a moment Jack wondered if she was asking him that maliciously just to torture him, but as he began to button the many tiny buttons going up the back of the dress realized she'd have to be a contortionist of the highest order to do it on her own. Which also meant he was going to have to help her get them unbuttoned later. Oh, joy. Another sleepless night alone. "Next time try a zipper."

"Yes, sir."

"Oh, for cryin' out loud, Carter! Chill with the 'sir'. We are AWOL, ya know. I think that pretty much kills the need for all the military etiquette." It came out harsher than he intended but all the 'siring' was driving him nuts. It always had.

"What should I call you?"

"'Jack'. Just 'Jack'. It's not hard to say. Just one syllable."

"Okay." Sam turned to look at herself in the full length mirror. "I don't look like myself."

"That's the whole point of a disguise," Jack smiled. She really didn't look like herself with the tan and flaming red hair. She'd done her hair a little different this time. Previously her shot hair had been wild and unruly. Now it was closer to her regular style, a little tamer. She seemed t have a bit of an Audrey Hepburn thing going on. He dress was silk, 'champagne' colored if he remembered what the lady in the shop had said. It was sleeveless with a boat neck and tiny pearl buttons going down the back. The skirt flared slightly below the waist and fell midcalf. "You look great." Jack stood and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "You got your side arm?"

Sam turned away from the mirror and gestured to her outfit. "Where am I going to put it? My garter?"

Jack glared at her and she broke into a teasing grin. He sighed heavily. This wasn't going to be easy.

TBC


	10. EP's House O' Love

**Road to Nowhere**

**Part 10**

Sam and Jack made their way to the lobby and found Rueben had a car waiting to take them to their 'appointment'. They rode in rather uncomfortable silence the short distance. When they arrived Sam couldn't stop herself from laughing out right.

"What?" Jack asked perplexed.

Sam pointed out the window to the chapel in the form of a miniaturized Graceland and the Animated neon sign featuring a gyrating Elvis and emblazoned with the words 'EP's House O' Love'. "I feel so stupid. I didn't get it until now."

"Yes, well, Elvis was the King of Rock 'n' Roll, not astrophysics," Jack replied, amusement twisting at his lips.

"Hey!" she protested. "What's that's supposed to mean?"

"That there are some categories of Trivial Pursuit you could stand to study up on."

She glared at him, but couldn't quite keep her smile hidden, "I know stuff other than science."

"What? Is this our first domestic squabble?" Jack broke out into a full grin. "How exciting. Not even married yet and at it like cats and dogs."

She playfully punched him in the arm, "Don't mock me."

"Daniel's not here. I have to mock someone."

"Somebody's sleeping on the couch tonight," she said trying to look like an irate spouse, but not really succeeding.

"Somebody always sleeps on the couch. Somebody's used to it."

Sam was about to retort when the driver opened the door and helped her out.

* * *

Sam had known EP's House O' Love would be tacky, but it seemed the sheer tackiness knew no bounds. She was sitting on a couch upholstered in mangy fake zebra fur. EP had explained it was an exact replica of one in the infamous Jungle Room at Graceland. The entire chapel was done in gilt, mirrors, and shag carpeting. She began to wonder if Elvis may have been a Goa'uld.

Sam tried to pay attention to what Jack was discussing with the young man in the gold lamee suite. He was EP2. EP had greeted them at the door. He was fat Elvis complete with white jumpsuit and cape. It seemed that EP only did the weddings these days while his son did the 'side jobs'.

Apparently they were to get two sets of IDs. One temporary set to get them to where ever they were going. Another that would be their new life when they got there. EP2 was going to give them an entire new life, complete with divers licenses, credit histories, college transcripts, and even pilots licenses, basically a whole new life.

Jack was standing behind EP2's massive desk, which also looked like something from the Jungle Room. This was a side of Jack she'd never really seen before. There was something dark, hard, intense, and alert about him. It had been hanging around him like a cloak since he appeared in her bedroom a couple of nights ago. This was black ops Jack. He knew what had to be done, how to do it, and was willing to do whatever necessary to get it done. 'It' being to protect Sam and keep her out of NID hands. She knew she would probably be already dead or worse if not for Jack. She also knew he would stop at nothing to keep that from happening. She knew Jack wasn't afraid to get his hands bloody. While Sam had been a soldier her entire adult life, killed more than she had liked, she had spent her time on the light side. She had never been asked to do the things that Jack had. She could imagine some of things he had done in Black Ops, others she didn't want to imagine that the man she knew was capable of such things. She knew that should probably frighten her. She had always sensed the darkness in Jack lurking beneath the goofy humor and feigned denseness, but it had never scared her, not the way it had in Jonas Hanson. Jack had always made her feel safe.

Jack felt her eyes on him an looked up from the computer screen. She smiled at him and he turned his attention back EP2 and the screen. He certainly didn't look like the Jack O'Neill she was used to. He looked dangerous. Not that the Jack she was used to wasn't dangerous, he usually didn't look it. He always wore his clothes baggy and slightly oversized, hiding the strong battle hardened body. She knew one of Jack's greatest assets was the way people underestimated him whether it was physically or mentally. She knew he wasn't stupid or dense. No matter how hard he pretended other wise, he didn't fool her. He looked very slick. He looked like he had serious money, which made sense because they were staying in the high roller suite of the Xanadu. He wore the outfit he'd bought on their shopping trip that afternoon, an expensive and finely tailored black suit with a French blue shirt and tie patterned in silver, blue, and black. She had always liked Jack in his dress blues because he couldn't hide his lean powerful frame in those and this suit fit him just as well. His black dyed hair was combed back, not a hair out of place. It didn't suit him and he longed to reach her hand out to ruffle it. She had always liked Jack's more than slightly disheveled hair. It softened some of his harder edges.

"Carter!"

"What?" Sam realized she'd been staring at him and that he'd been trying to get her attention for a little while. He and EP2 were looking expectantly at her.

"You okay?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, sorry spaced out for a minute." Sam couldn't hide the blush creeping up her cheeks. "What was the question?"

"Any last name preference?"

"No, not really," she shrugged. "It's not like I got to pick 'Carter'."

Jack turned back to EP2, "Samantha Gale Tesla."

"Tesla?" Sam questioned, slightly shocked that Jack might know who Nikola Tesla was.

Jack shrugged. "He made a death ray. Seemed appropriate."

Sam laughed. Only Jack O'Neill could come up with something like that. "A scientist, Jack? You're admitting to knowing about a scientist?"

"He made a death ray," Jack repeated.

"Which was never actually proven to work, but he did develop the AC electric motor and-"

"Ah!" he interrupted before she could degenerate into techno babble. "Time for Mike and Lucy to get hitched."

* * *

Jack and Sam were 'married' by EP under their temporary identities of Michael Truex and Lucy Simpson. Sam hadn't really understood why the farcical ceremony was necessary, but EP2 explained that his father really just enjoyed marrying people, even if they really didn't want to get married and it really wasn't binding. So they went ahead with the ceremony to make EP happy.

When EP announced that he could kiss the bride, Jack had only intended to give her a quick chaste kiss, but it hadn't worked out quite that way. Her lips parted invitingly under his own and Jack couldn't help but deepening it. He felt slightly guilty even though she responded pretty enthusiastically. "Sorry," he murmured after they pulled apart.

"Don't be," she replied rather breathlessly.

He looked surprised, "So does that mean I can do it again?"

"I'm not sure that would be wise."

"No," he sighed. "Probably not." In fact he knew it wouldn't be wise. If he kissed her a gain and she responded like she did the first time, they would most definitely not be having dinner with Rubin.

* * *

Sam stared down at their fake marriage license as the drove back to the Xanadu, "Dad is never going to believe I got married in Vegas by Elvis."

"Oh, yeah," Jack leaned his head back and closed his eyes, imagining all the painful ways he could die. "Dad's gonna kill me when he hears about this."

"No, he won't."

"Ya wanna bet?" he opened his eyes and turned his head so he could see her.

"He likes you," she told him.

"Not in the capacity of son-in-law. I'm dead."

"No, I don't think Selmak wouldn't let him kill you. You might be missing a few important pieces though," she smiled sweetly at him.

"Great," he snorted. "I can't tell you how much better that makes me feel."

TBC


	11. Leaving Las Vegas

**Road To Nowhere**

**Part 11**

* * *

They had a relaxed dinner with Reuben before returning to their suite and retiring to their separate bedrooms. Sam had unfortunately not found out any more tantalizing bits about Jack's younger wilder days. Jack had made sure that the conversation stayed far away from his early days in Chicago. Instead, Reuben regaled them with stories of the weird and stupid things people done in his casino over the years and most were quite bazaar and entertaining.

Sam was glad Reuben was there to ease the uncomfortable tension that had settled between she and Jack after their faux wedding. She realized one thing was true, the longer they were away from the constant reminders of their positions in the Air Force, the harder it would be to hide her feelings. She berated herself for making their kiss be more than what Jack had intended it to be. As wonderful as it was it certainly didn't make their situation any easier.

Sam went in the bathroom and turned on the water in the huge tub. Normally she would take a shower, but who knew when there would be another chance for such a luxury. She dumped a measure of the bath salts thoughtfully provided in the tub. As the water ran, she began to undress. She pulled off her shoes and then reached around to unfasten her dress. She unbuttoned as many of the tiny buttons as she could, but she couldn't reach them all. She tried to wriggle out of the dress half undone, but it wasn't working.

She dreaded asking Jack to help her. When had helped button her up earlier it had felt very intimate. It was something husbands and wives did. She remembered watching her father helping her mother button and zip up her dresses. It would be so easy to slip into such casual intimacy with Jack, but she didn't think it would be the smartest thing to do. Sure, she understood the need for the masquerade in a strategic sense, but it was just so hard on her already battered defenses. Being on the run wasn't the ideal place to start an intimate relationship. It would only distract them and they needed to stay alert.

She tried tugging the dress off again. It still didn't work. She turned off the water in her in the tub. Sam knew she had to ask Jack. It was that or wear the dress for the rest of her life and she somehow thought Jack would question that eventually.

* * *

Jack stepped out into his bedroom still toweling his hair dry. He gave his head one final scrub. When he pulled the towel away fro, his face was more than a little shocked to see Sam sitting on his bed. "Um, Carter… You okay?"

She blushed slightly in embarrassment. "Actually, I need you to take my dress off."

Jack stuffed his hand into the pockets of his robe and rocked back on his heels as he tried to wrap his mind around that statement. Was she propositioning him?

She flushed an even darker red as she realized what she'd said. "Oh, God, sir. I didn't mean that. I meant I need you to unbutton me." She stood and quickly turned her half unbuttoned back to him.

"Right," he exhaled slowly and stepped up to her. He undid the buttons as quickly as he could and trying desperately not to touch her skin. He stepped back shoving his hands safely in his pockets once more. "There ya go."

Sam reached around and held the back together with one hand before turning to face him. "Thanks, Jack."

"No problem," he said easily, but instead thinking about how he was now going to have to take another shower. A cold one. Icy. "Anything else you need undone?" he asked and then winced about how that had sounded.

Sam smiled, glad she wasn't the only one nervous, "Uh, no, Jack. I'm good."

"Good."

"Well, goodnight then," she told him turning to go.

"Night, Sam."

"Thanks again."

"Anytime." Jack rolled his eyes and allowed himself to fall face first onto the bed. "D'oh," he muttered into the mattress. He had known that dress and those damn buttons would cause him a sleepless night.

* * *

Quite sometime later, Jack was finally able to force himself into a light sleep. He considered their situation no different than a mission and wouldn't allow himself to succumb to a deep slumber no matter how safe he thought they were here. He hadn't been asleep for very long when he heard a scream. He was up and instantly alert with his gun in hand. He carefully checked for signs of intruders and made his way into Sam's room to find her thrashing around under the covers. He set the pistol down and remembered it would probably been in his best interest to wake her before he untangled her legs. He grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her, "Carter, wake up. It's just a dream."

Her eyes snapped open and he felt her tense, ready to strike. "Sam, it's okay. You're safe. It was just a dream."

She relaxed slightly and nodded, "Thanks." She took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down.

Jack released her and sat on the edge of the bed. "You okay?"

"Yeah."

"You want to talk about it?"

"No."

Jack nodded his understanding. He'd gone what she was going through. He didn't particularly like to share his nightmares either, but more often than not it helped to have someone close. "You want me to stay?"

"No. Thanks. I…I just think I need to deal with this on my own."

"Okay." Jack understood that she needed to face her own demons, but at the same time he couldn't help being a little hurt. He knew he wasn't much of a talker or one of those strange comforting souls like Daniel. Sam had no problem being weak around Daniel, but not Jack. He understood why that was, too, but he didn't like it. He was her CO and she didn't want to appear anything less than a perfect soldier. He had hoped over the years that they had at least become close enough friends that she could let that façade slip a little. Apparently not. "Well," he said rising. "You know where I am."

She grabbed his hand before he could walk away and he turned back to her. "Thank you, Jack."

"No problem." Jack squeezed her hand back before releasing it and picked up his gun.

* * *

Sam and Jack had a pleasant breakfast in their suite. Neither one mentioned their pseudo-marriage, the button incident, or the nightmare. They ate their waffles as they watched I Love Lucy reruns on TV Land.

Sam was trying desperately not to think about how she could get used to this every morning when the doorbell rang. She reached for her pistol as Jack got up to answer the door. He came back a few minutes later with several manila envelopes.

"Well, looks like it's we're outta here."

"That was quick," she said as she examined the contents of one of the envelopes.

"The EPs know that fugitives don't have time to spare."

"Good point."

TBC

Thanks for the lovely reviews. I'm glad you're enjoying it.


	12. Intro to LA

**Road to Nowhere**

**Part 12**

Sam and Jack arrived in Los Angeles in the midafternoon and Jack insisted they have a late lunch at Roscoe's House of Chicken 'N Waffles before meeting their next contact. Sam thought it an unlikely combination of food and stuck to ordering a salad with chicken. Jack on the other hand got both chicken and waffles with a beer and truly savored his meal. Sam got slightly nauseous just thinking about that combination.

"So tell me about this guy Rusty that we're going to meet," Sam said trying to take her mind of his meal.

"Oh, he's cool. Met him in eighty-four or eighty-five, maybe eighty-six…" Jack took a bite of his chicken and tried to think of the particular year before shrugging. "Eighty-something. Anyway, my team was supposed to spring one of our agents being held outside of Leningrad. The guy wasn't there but they did have two Americans prisoner, Rusty and his pal Danny. So we sprung them instead. Turned out the guy we were after was a double agent anyway." He speared another piece of chicken and smeared it around in the syrup on his plate.

"What were they doing in the Soviet Union?"

"Stealing things. The czars left behind some pretty nifty stuff."

Her eyebrows rose in astonishment. "So, this guy's a thief?"

"Yeah."

"And you trust him?"

"Sure," he nodded. "We probably wouldn't have made it out of there if he and Danny hadn't used their contacts to smuggle us across the border. Besides he owes me from another little mishap in Turkey."

Sam shook her head, "You know some odd people."

"Hey, you don't exactly have room to talk. At least Rusty's 'of this world'." Jack popped a piece of syrup-coated waffle in his mouth and took a sip of his beer before continuing. "He's a good guy. You'll like him. Besides, we aren't exactly respectable folks ourselves anymore."

"True," Sam sighed. He was right. They were wanted by a supposedly legitimate government organization and it was only natural that the look to help from not so legitimate sources. This was definitely not her area of expertise. "I'm just glad one of us knows what they're doing."

"Trust me," he smiled encouragingly. "I do know what I'm doing. When we need to take something apart or work complex algebraic equations, it's your show." Jack pushed his now empty plate around him. "So, pie?"

* * *

"Well, Reuben told me to expect company but you're the last one I expected to turn up on my doorstep."

Jack smiled at the blonde man in the doorway. "Well, this is the last place I expected to be a couple of days ago."

Rusty leaned against the doorframe taking in Jack's rather strange appearance. He was wearing his Diesel jeans and black sport coat, though this time with a sky blue t-shirt under it. "This is a new look for you, isn't it? You going Hollywood, Jack?"

"Disguise," Jack sighed dramatically. "You develop a coke habit, Russ?"

"What?"

Jack gestured to his nose.

Rusty rubbed his face and his hand came away sprinkled with white powder "Oh.," he said before holding up a bag of powdered donuts. "Donut?"

"Nah, we just ate."

"And what a lovely other part of 'we'," Rusty smiled at Sam and she smiled back.

"Watch it," Jack warned and Rusty shared a grin of amusement with Sam. "Rusty, this is Sam. Sam, this is Rusty."

"C'mon in." Rusty stepped back into his apartment and gestured for them to enter. Jack and Sam settled on the couch and Rusty sat across from them still eating donuts.

"So what can I do for you? I still owe you from that unfortunate incident that we won't discuss in Turkey."

"Need a place to crash tonight and somebody to run a couple of errands."

"Sure. Whatever you need," Rusty told him as he liked the powdered sugar off his fingers.

* * *

"Butch,

Sundance and Etta have disappeared. Have they gone to Bolivia? Is LaFours in pursuit? The Whole-in-the-Wall Gang could use your advice.

Henry Jones Jr," Janet read aloud. She turned from the computer screen an gave Daniel a skeptical look. "Are you sure Maybourne's going to understand that?"

"Sure. Jack and Sam are the Sundance Kid and Etta Place. They went to Bolivia to escape the law, so that would mean that they're running away from something. LaFours was the lawman chasing them so that would mean the NID was after them. We're the Whole-in-the-Wall Gang."

"I get that, but what if Maybourne isn't a fan of westerns?"

"Butch Cassidy was the alias he used last time he was in the area," Daniel explained. "I figured it might catch his attention."

"I hope you're right, Indy," Janet smirked slightly at him and gave his shoulder a squeeze.

"Me too."

TBC


	13. Happy Birthday, Sam

A/N- The typos and formatting has been correct in part 12. Sorry about that.

**Road to Nowhere**

**Part 13**

Jack stepped out into the hallway and eyed the bags in Rusty's hand. "Gucci? I told you to get her a laptop not a damn purse."

"She had to have something to put it in, didn't she?" Rusty asked calmly between licks of his ice cream cone which was quickly melting.

"Well, what's that other stuff?" he said pointing to the Saks Fifth Avenue bag. "And where's the cake?"

"Relax, Jack. I've got everything taken care of," he said taking a bite out of the cone. "There'll be cake at the restaurant."

"Restaurant? We're not going out. We're fugitives in case you haven't figured it out yet."

"Who knows you in LA? Especially looking like that?"

"Rusty…" Jack began in tone that would make airmen snap to attention, but his friend was no airman.

He just smiled, "C'mon, Jack. It's your wife's birthday. Make it special."

"She's not my wife."

Rusty rolled his eyes and sigh dramatically, "You used to be a lot more fun, Jack."

"I used to be a lot of things." Jack gave him one final disapproving glare and relented holding out his hand. "Hand it over." Rusty gave him the Gucci bag and retained the other one. "What about that one?"

"That's my gift."

"Your gift?"

"Well, you did say she's not your wife, so I thought…"

"You thought what?" Jack demanded and even as he said it he wondered why he had suddenly become so territorial. Sam wasn't anyone's territory. He even knew Rusty was winding him up but he couldn't stop the reaction.

"That she might appreciate-"

"Jack, what's going on?"

Both men turned to see Sam standing in the doorway looking quite perplexed.

"Er…"

"Happy Birthday, Sam!" Rusty handed her the Saks bag and ushered her into the apartment. Jack, scowling, followed. He sat next to her on the couch as she began ripping off the wrapping paper off of one of Rusty's gifts. Gifts? Jack gave him a displeased look and Rusty merely grinned back. Sam opened the box lid and Jack too busy scowling only managed to catch a glimpse of something black and gold. "Oh, wow. This beautiful. Thank you, Rusty. You shouldn't have."

"It's nothing. Just a little something for dinner tonight."

"Dinner?" she asked looking puzzled.

"Yeah, didn't Jack tell you? He's taking you out to dinner for your birthday."

"No, he didn't." Sam turned to Jack. "Is that wise?"

Jack wanted to tell her it wasn't his idea, that dinner was supposed to consist of take out Chinese and cake, but Jack saw the spark of excitement in her eyes and knew Rusty was probably right. Times were likely to be tough ahead so they should have their fun while they had a chance. So he shrugged and smiled, "Probably not, but who knows us in LA?"

She beamed at him and then tore into the next gift, revealing a shoe box. "Oh my God, Manolo Blahniks!"

"Hey!" Jack said recognizing the name. "That's those things on that show Cassie likes to watch."

"You let Cassie watch Sex in the City?" Sam quickly shifted gears and shot him disapproving look.

"Uh, yeah. Was I not supposed to?" he asked deciding to go the dense route.

"Jack, she's fifteen. The name of the show is '**_SEX _**in the City'."

"But all they really ever talk about are shoes," he protested. "This is a shoe, right? How does it work?" Jack picked up one of the shoes and studied it. The so called shoe seemed to be made up entirely of black and gold strings. The heel looked incredibly high and very skinny. "You could kill someone with this heel."

"You'd better watch out then, Jack," Sam snatched the shoe out of his hand and lovingly replaced it in the box.

"What? It's just a shoe, for cyin' out loud. You'd think it was one of you reactor thingies."

She glared at Jack and smiled sweetly at Rusty, "Thank you, Rusty."

"Here," Jack shoved his bag into her hands. He was beginning to think this shoe obsessed creature beside him was somehow an alternate reality Carter and that his offering of a doohickey would not be as appreciated. Maybe she would have appreciated a purse more. Sam tore into his gift with the same enthusiasm she had with the other presents. She pulled the lid off the box to reveal a sleek black leather laptop case. "There should be something inside. Or at least their better be."

She lifted the bag out and unzipped it. She pulled the laptop out and screamed. Yes, screamed. Jack nearly bolted off the couch in shock. "It's a Macross ZX5000! These aren't even on the market yet!" She hugged the laptop to her. "This is the best present ever, Jack! How did you…"

"Well, obviously I have connections," he told her a pleased smile spreading across his face. "I just told them to get the fastest, most powerful laptop on the market, but it seems they did one better." He sent a grateful look to Rusty who was grinning manically as if his plan for world domination was proceeding as planned.

Sam reverently replaced the laptop back in the case and to Jack's shock latched onto him in a huge hug. "Thank you, Jack." Then she kissed his cheek. "Thank you for remembering my birthday."

"How could I forget?"

* * *

"Are you going to wear that dinner?"

Jack looked down at himself. He thought he looked fine. It was the suit he had bought in Vegas. "I'm wearing it, aren't I?" he asked Rusty. "What's wrong with it anyway?"

"You look like you're getting married," he replied then tossed a handful of Goldfish snacks into his mouth.

"I did get married in it."

"Why don't you lose the tie? Relax."

"Fine. I hate the thing anyway," Jack pulled the tie off and unbuttoned the shirt. "Better?"

Rusty studied him for a minute before standing, "That shirt's boring. You can borrow one of mine."

Jack followed Rusty into his bedroom and made a face at the iridescent purple shirt offered. "I am not wearing a shiny shirt."

"You have no sense of style, Jack."

"I'd rather not dress like a pimp, thank you very much."

"What about this one?" Rusty held out a plain burgundy dress shirt.

"That's better," Jack snatched it out of his hand.

"You're so ungrateful."

"Tell me that next time I find you locked up in some third world prison."

* * *

Jack, now resplendent in his borrowed shirt, sat on the couch impatiently waiting on Sam to make her appearance. He growled at the screen of Sam's new laptop. How could he loose twenty games of solitaire in a row? It was his specialty. He began shutting down the computer and barked impatiently, "Carter, aren't you ready yet?"

"Just a minute, sir!" she called back.

"We're going to be late for our reservations."

"I said just a minute!" Sam flung open the door and strode out.

Jack looked up ready with a sarcastic retort, but it was forgotten. "Oh, I am in so much trouble."

"Why?"

"What?"

"Why are you in trouble?"

Jack cleared his throat, he hadn't meant to say that out loud. "Because I'm going to be fighting the men off of you all night. I'm good but I don't know if I'm that good."

She quirked an eyebrow, "What if I don't want you to?"

"Then I'm gonna to be in even more trouble." He couldn't help but stare. She looked amazing. Her skirt was supple black leather that fell to just above her knees. Her short jacket was also black leather with an upright collar and three quarter length sleeves. Her top underneath the jacket was sparkly gold with a high neck that just barely left the hollow of her collarbone exposed. Jack's eyes tracked back down to the floor thinking that was probably a safer place to look but, no, her feet were there. Her feet in those impossibly high heels, the gold and black straps crisscrossing her feet and lacing midway up her calf, accentuating her long, strong legs. Jack cursed himself for being a leg man.

"If the Colonel is through with his inspection…"

"Oh," Jack guiltily met her amused gaze. "Well, you are out of uniform, Major, but I think this once we'll let it slide. It is your birthday after all."

"Most generous, sir."

Jack rose off the couch and walked over to her. "Geez, you're tall."

"Just noticed that now did you?"

"No, just never thought about until we were nose to nose."

"Well, I guess it's a good thing you're tall, Jack, short men creep me out."

"Thank God for those long legged O'Neill genes."

* * *

They had a fun dinner flirting shamelessly over champagne and later over a huge piece of sinfully rich chocolate cake covered in a cognac sauce. Later they walked a block down the street to the club where they were meeting Rusty. She decided she liked the charming side of Jack that was exposed when he didn't have to be the tough and sarcastic Colonel.

Sam clung to Jack's arm, partly because she wasn't quite as steady on her Manolos as she was on her combat boots and partly because she enjoyed the illicit thrill of hanging off Jack's arm. Being considered arm candy wasn't something she enjoyed, but tonight she didn't mind. No one here knew them. She didn't have to be Major Carter or even Dr. Carter. All she had to be was Sam. She didn't have anything to prove except maybe she was capable of holding onto the man on her arm. She didn't fail to notice the admiring glances Jack received from many of the women and a few men, too. From the looks she'd been getting from Jack all night, she didn't think holding onto him would be a problem. The problem was that she probably wouldn't want to let go of him at all tonight.

They were led through the club to Rusty's table where he was surrounded several starlets. Rusty grinned up at them, "Girls, this is Sam and Jack. Today is Sam's birthday."

Sam received a chorus of 'Happy Birthday's and Jack received a chorus of suggestive looks which he seemed oblivious to. Chivalrously, Jack pulled out a chair for Sam and then glanced around the table everyone seemed to have full drinks. "Drink, Sam?" he questioned.

"Please."

He nodded and made his way across to the bar.

* * *

Jack returned with their drinks to find the table vacant except for Rusty and another girl who was sitting very close to him. "What happened to, Sam?"

Rusty looked up from his intimate conversation, "Oh, she's dancing."

"With whom?"

"Some guy."

"Gee, thanks, Rusty. You're a big help." Jack surveyed the dance floor and caught sight Sam's bright red hair. It was a slow song but it was nearly over and her partner seemed to be keeping a polite distance. Jack sat down and took a sip of his scotch.

Rusty looked amused and feigned shock. "Jack, aren't you going to cut in ?"

Jack shrugged. After the uncontrolled flirting spanning the night so far, he knew he didn't have anything to worry about. Besides if anyone tried anything with Sam she could kick their asses easily. Fending off these lecherous LA types wasn't difficult after fighting the Goa'uld for five years.

The song ended and Jack watched her. He expected her to head back to their table, but instead she allowed her partner to lead her to the bar. Jack began to reassess their night until he caught her wink and knew she was issuing him a challenge. He took another sip of his drink and decided to make her wait a little. He watched them through the sea of people and once the crowd parted slightly, he realized she had shed her jacket and he was shocked by her completely exposed back. Her top was apparently held in place only by a thin gold chain at her neck and another midway down her back. Her skirt was resting very low on her hips and Jack was even more stunned to see a tattoo adorning the skin just below the small of her back. It looked suspiciously like the Earth point of origin symbol.

Jack, ignoring Rusty's knowing laugh, stood and made his way to the bar. Sam's partner was standing entirely too close to her for his liking. Jack came up on Sam's right side. He lightly traced the line on her shoulders with his left hand until it possessively came to rest on her shoulder, platinum wedding band sparkling on his finger. Sam didn't even move or appear startled in any way. Jack smiled pleasantly at the other man and said, "I'm gonna have to steal my wife back from you now."

The man gave Jack a once over and decided any protest wasn't worth it. He nodded politely to Sam and moved away. "Well, that was disappointing," Jack murmured in her ear. "I was hoping for a bar fight." Sam gave him a mischievous grin and he allowed his hand to leave her shoulder and trail down her back until he came to her tattoo. He covered it with his palm, the tips of his fingers sliding under the waistband of her skirt. "Major, you're exposing top secret information. We're going to have to do something about that."

"Like what?"

"Make sure it's concealed in a more secure location," he answered the challenge in her eyes with a smirk.

"Then, by all means, Colonel, let us proceed to a more secure location."

TBC

Okay, pallies, I know you're probably upset where this part left off, but you got to tell me if this is getting too fluffy or sappy or cheesy. I'm not the best judge at times.


	14. Behind Closed Doors

**Road to Nowhere**

**Part 14**

A/N: I'm uping the rating for this part as some adult type things happen. Nothing explicit though.

* * *

Jack was roughly pushed up against wall, the gun holstered at his back digging sharply into him. "Easy," he groaned. "I'm old and delicate."

"Sorry," Sam whispered against his neck. "You want me to stop?"

"NO! Just…" he could feel her smirking against his skin before she began her attack again. "Just let me get rid of this…" he reached behind his back to pull the holster loose and tossed his gun on the night stand. "Okay, now, you can reenact the locker room scene."

"Will you be dragging me off to a doctor this time?" Sam asked her hands sliding under his jacket and pushing it off his shoulders.

"Not on your life." His hands trailed down her bare back reveling in the silky feel of her skin. "Turn around."

Sam found herself pressed against same wall she had just thrown Jack against as is hands and mouth roamed the exposed flesh of her back. She closed her eyes in delight. She felt him trace the delicate chains holding her top in place, but he made no attempt to undo them. "This is the most fascinating shirt I've ever seen. Demure in the front and hot as hell in the back. Not to mention this…" His tongue traced the point of origin tattoo sending shivers of pleasure spiraling up her back.

"Jack…"

"What?" He slowly rose to feet following her spine with a trail of kisses. He wrapped his arms around her holding her close and attacking the delicate spot behind her ear.

"Stop being a tease," she managed to gasp out, certain that she would be in a puddle at his feet if his strong arms weren't holding her up.

"But this is fun. Why should I?"

"It's my birthday," she replied, knowing it made absolutely no sense, but she was well past making sense.

"I feel like it's my birthday having such a delightfully wrapped package in my hands."

"Jack…"

"Well, I guess I could unwrap it." One arm remained around her holding her upright and pressed tightly against him. His breath was warm in her ear and made her shiver even more, "Did I tell you how hot you look tonight?" He wasn't really expecting an answer and his free hand trailed teasingly down her side until he came to the zipper of her skirt and slowly pulled it down. His hand slid under the leather to push the skirt off her hips. He groaned when he discovered there was nothing else there.

Sam smiled triumphantly at his discovery, knowing he wasn't expecting that. "What?" she asked with all the innocence she could muster.

"I guess it's true what they say: 'Get a good little 2IC out of the field and she turns into mighty wild woman'."

"They say that, do they?" She laughed and turned in his arms. She wriggled slightly and the skirt fell down her legs to the floor. She stepped out of it and kicked it away. "What do 'they' say about bad little COs?"

"That they get in big trouble with their wild 2ICs."

He captured her mouth in a searing kiss momentarily stilling the hands desperately unbuttoning his shirt. He began attacking the hollow at her throat as his hands ran over her bare ass. Then she gave up on the buttons and jerked the shirt over his head. She pulled away from him slightly so she could run her fingers through the sparse hair covering his chest and then over his shoulders to his muscular back. Her fingers traveled over his back lightly tracing the raised scars she found there and then raking her short nails down his skin making him moan. His hands tightened the hold on her bottom as he pulled her even closer against him and she couldn't ignore how much her wanted her.

Jack's now shaking hands left their exploration of her skin and quickly unfastened the chains holding her top. He took a step back from her pulling out of her grasp as she struggled with his belt and the sparkly gold fell from her body leaving her completely naked except for her shoes. Before she knew what was going on she had been scooped up and placed on the bed. His long half clothed body stretched over hers. He kissed her tenderly but hungrily, before making his way down her body, kissing ,licking, nibbling, and just generally driving her insane. He teasingly avoided the place she most wanted his mouth and hands.

"Jack," she protested as shifted his attention down her legs.

"God, I love your legs. They're just so damn long." He sat back on his heels between those legs and studied the woman lying wantonly before him in nothing but those sexy black and gold shoes laced up her calves.

Sam raised a speculative eyebrow. "You just gonna stare all night."

"Shush," he admonished with slow grin. "I'm savoring the moment."

She held open her arms in invitation, "I've got a couple more moments for you to savor, flyboy."

"Well, when you look at it that way…"

* * *

"I've missed this," Jack murmured in her ear, his arms tightening around her.

"It was never like that for Jonah and Thera," she whispered quietly, something in her voice sounding so desolate that it confused Jack so he made a joke.

"You're right. We should be on a mine floor still half clothed hoping no one decides to take midnight stroll. While I miss all that, personally, I find the bed a little easier on my knees."

Sam laughed, but he still felt bad for mentioning their time as mind stamped mine workers even if he was speaking honestly. Letting go of Sam after loving her as Thera was one of the hardest things he ever had to do in his life. It was bad enough when he didn't know what he was missing, but when he did it was almost unbearable. As much as it hurt, it had been her choice though. She had the most to lose, her career and her reputation. He had figured out a long time ago that he could deny her nothing even if it broke his heart. He often wondered if she'd had as difficult a time with letting that go as he did.

Sam pulled away from him and flopped over on her stomach. She smiled contentedly at him. "I have missed you, too."

He smiled back at her and reached out to trace the tattoo on her back. "I don't remember this."

She flushed red and hid her face in her pillow. That peeked Jack's curiosity. "What? There's got to be a story behind that reaction." She shook her head. "C'mon, you can tell me."

"No," came her muffled reply.

"Sure, you owe me."

She looked up at that, "Owe you?"

"Yeah, I think you impaled one of my kidney's with your heel."

She laughed remembering the disgruntled yelp when she had wrapped her legs around him. "That's your fault. You didn't take them off."

"I was going to, but someone was too impatient." He looked thoughtful for a second. "Besides it was oddly sexy. I guess that's why the call them 'fuck me heels'."

"You're weird."

"Hey, at least I don't have a highly classified symbol tattooed on my ass."

"It's not on my ass," she said indignantly. "You're not going to let this go are you?" He shook his head and she let out a heavy sigh. "Fine. Daniel and I got a little drunk after that whole thing with Osiris and his ex and for some reason I'm not entirely clear on we decided to would be a good idea to get matching tattoo, except Daniel's is the Earth and Abydos symbols intertwined."

"Where was I? I wouldn't have wanted to miss a good drunken escapade."

"You and Teal'c weren't back from fishing yet."

"Damn," he said looking sincerely disappointed.

"Happy now?"

"Blissfully." He pulled her across the bed into his arms. She tucked her head under his chin and lay there contentedly tracing patterns on his chest.

They lay there a while and Jack was nearly asleep when she pressed a kiss to his throat and whispered, "Thank you."

"For what?" he asked groggily.

"For keeping me safe."

His heart caught in his throat. "Sam are you saying this," he gestured vaguely with the hand that had been stroking her back, "was a 'thank you'."

"Kinda, I guess."

He jerked out of her arms and bolted from the bed. He had grabbed his pants off the floor and was out of the room before she even had time to process what just happened.

* * *

Sam found him on the balcony leaning against the rail with a glass of whiskey in his hand. He was staring up at the sky even though the light pollution from the city below obscured most of the stars.

"Jack, what's wrong?"

"Same thing that's always been wrong . I'm an idiot."

"No, you're not," Sam reached out tentatively to touch his shoulder.

"Don't touch me."

"Jack, I don't understand."

"Neither do I, but hey, who said life was fair."

She stood there for a minute pondering the situation. "Are you angry with me because you've given up the SGC to save me?"

"No."

"Then why? What did I do?"

He turned to face her and even though his expression was hidden in darkness she felt his icy glare. "You fucked me in gratitude. I'd rather not had you at all."

Jack suddenly found himself knocked to the ground by Sam's punch. "You miserable bastard! Why don't you just go ahead and call me a whore repaying my debts! If you thought that's what tonight was then you're crazier that I thought!"

"I am?" he asked genially puzzled.

"What the hell's wrong with you, Jack?" she demanded in frustration. "Why can't you think someone can care about you other than what you can do for them? I'd like to beat the crap out of whoever made you think so little of yourself. I want you and I have for a very long time and I fully intend to want you for a very long time to come. So get over it!"

Jack snagged her ankle and she tumbled down into his lap. "You're really hot when you're pissed." He kissed her and held her tightly to him. "I'm sorry, Sam. I didn't mean it like that. I just have a hard time accepting that a smart and beautiful woman really want a crazy, beat up flyboy like me."

"Those are my favorite kind," She ran a hand through his already mussed hair and pulled his head to her for a kiss.

"Good," he kissed her again. "Because I think you're gonna be stuck with me for a while."

"I hope so." She rested her head against his shoulder. "I do appreciate everything you've done for me, Jack,. I guess I wasn't being very articulate but you have that kind of effect on me when I'm lying naked in your arms."

"Sam, you're going to ruin me with talk like that. You do know we have an early flight don't you?"

"We can sleep on the plane."

TBC

I've never really written such a risque scene as this before but I thought there needed to be a little more than 'and then they had mad passionate sex'. Any criticism is welcome. Thanks for all the great reviews so far.


	15. Leaving Again

**Road to Nowhere**

**Part 15**

* * *

A/N: Sorry about the delay on this part. I've been out of town. Y'know, this story should have been over by now, but it just keeps expanding. I'm rather scared.

* * *

"Have a good night, Jack?"

Jack ignored the grinning Rusty who was eating cereal at the table. Jack dug through the pantry coming up only with a box of Cocoa Pebbles. "No Fruit Loops? What kinda joint is this?" he complained but none the less plopped down across from his friend and poured a bowl. He glanced up and saw that Rusty must have had a 'good night', because he still in the clothes he'd wore last night. Besides Jack didn't hear him return until this morning.

"Where's Sam?" Rusty questioned.

"Still sleeping."

"Long night?" he questioned with a knowing smirk.

Jack ignored him again and shoveled a spoonful of cereal in his mouth.

"Oh, c'mon, Jack. At least tell me if my plan worked. You owe me that much."

"Owe you?" Jack snorted. "For what? Interfering in something you didn't understand?"

"Oh, I understood. The sexual tension just oozed off of you both and I knew for whatever stupid reason you wouldn't do anything about it. So I decided to give you a little push."

"Why don't you just push me off of a cliff next time?" Jack muttered not entirely under his breath.

"What was that?"

"Why?" Jack asked louder. "What was in it for you?"

"Well, Jack, you know how much of a romantic I am." Jack pinned him with a disbelieving look until Rusty amended, "I was bored."

"Well, I hope we were entertaining."

"Oh, man, were you ever. You're pretty damn entertaining when you go all jealous and territorial. Could you possibly be anymore alpha male?"

"Could you be anymore of a pain in the ass?"

Rusty just shrugged and decided to change the subject. He hadn't missed the warning gleam in Jack's eye. "So what else you need from me?"

Jack nodded slightly, relieved to be getting back down to business. "I need you to get rid of our guns. Too big of a risk to try to get them on the plane. Mine is pretty much untraceable but Sam's is most likely registered."

"Easy enough. I know people. And?"

"I need you to get the Mustang back to my ex-wife in Colorado Springs."

Rusty looked shocked. He leaned back in his chair crossing his arms over his chest, scrutinizing Jack. "You stole a car from your ex-wife?" he asked in disbelief.

"No, borrowed." Jack thought about who he was talking to and added, "Real borrowed, not your kind of borrowed."

Rusty grinned suddenly and shook his head. "You've got balls, Jack. I'll give you that. Let me get this straight. You get yourself in trouble and run away with some hot chick half your age-"

"HEY! Sam is not _half_ my age."

"Okay, okay. Run away with some hot chick _slightly younger than yourself_ and you go to your ex-wife for help? You're a brave man or really stupid."

"Sara left _me_. Besides she's remarried now," Jack said quietly as he studied the patterns his soggy Cocoa Pebbles were making in the milk.

"So? You think she wasn't the at least the slightest bit jealous and resentful when you turn up with someone like Sam? You're lucky she didn't turn your ass in."

"Sara wouldn't do that."

"Well, she must be a hell of woman."

"She is," Jack said quietly and then focused on what he'd said about Sam. "What do you mean 'someone like Sam'? I didn't just pick her up off the street corner, y'know. She's way smarter than anyone you've ever met and she could kick-" Jack stopped and glared at him. "Quit winding me up, Rusty."

"But it's so fun."

"No wonder Danny got himself locked up. He needed some peace."

* * *

"First class?" Sam asked as they boarded the plane.

Jack shrugged, "Neither one of us are exactly short people and I don't know about you, but I prefer not to spend the whole flight with my knees under my chin."

"Point." She stopped at their row. "Are we gonna have to flip for the window seat?"

"I thought arm wrestling was more your style."

Sam sighed dramatically. "You are never going to let me live that down, are you?"

"You did make an impression," he smirked at her. "Tell you what, since this is your first time going to Hawaii, I'll be a gentleman and let you have a window seat."

"I prefer it when you're not a gentleman," Sam gave him a mischievous smile and plunked down in the window seat. "But I'll take you up on that."

"How long is this flight again?" Jack asked as he sat in the seat next to her.

"What you've never heard of the Mile High Club?"

"You're evil."

* * *

Sam got bored of staring out the window at the seemingly endless ocean and leaned her head on Jack's shoulder, "Wake me up when we get closer."

Jack reached over and took her hand. He studied the rings on her fingers and the garish sparkly pink nail polish. "Y'know, this really isn't your style."

"Told ya."

"I always liked that red color you used to paint your toenails."

She tilted her head slightly to look at him, but still keeping her head on his shoulder. "How do you know what color I painted my toenails?"

"Oh, please, it's not like I've never seen you barefoot in five years. Kinda shocked me the first time I saw those bright red toes coming out of combat boots though. Confused Teal'c. He thought your toes were bleeding."

Sam laughed. "Guess the Jaffa aren't big on pedicures."

They fell silent again and Sam watched him play with her rings. She could practically hear the wheels turning in his head. "What?"

He exhaled slowly and she felt his breath ruffling her hair. "Sam, we need to talk."

"About?"

"Last night."

Sam's stomach suddenly twisted into knots and she closed her eyes willing him not to say what she thought he was going to say. "Don't you dare say it was a mistake."

"I won't, but I'm not sure we were thinking clearly."

"Jack…"

"No, just hear me out, Sam. Okay?" He squeezed the hand he held and she nodded against his shoulder.

"Okay."

Jack took a deep breath before beginning. "There has been this… 'thing', for lack of a better word, between us for…a long time. We've had to repress it for a lot of reasons. We've never been able to explore it except when we weren't even ourselves. After that we had to repress it again. I don't know about you but that was hard for me, Sam. Really hard. Now here we are stuck together without any chaperones. We've been playing house because the situation and our cover demand it, but it made the tension escalate… a lot. You know that. It made us jumpy. Last night needed to happen. To clear the air so to speak. I know the rules really don't have any meaning any more, but that doesn't mean we can get sloppy. We can't let this 'thing' get in the way of our mission. We don't need to be distracted. Do you understand?"

"So are you saying that last night was a one time thing to release the tension?"

"Oh, I hope not," he said before he thought about what was coming out of his mouth. "But I also don't want you to think you're indebted to me in any way." She started to protest, but he quieted her quickly. "I know what we said last night. I know I over reacted. But in case you haven't noticed yet I'm not good at dealing with this feelings stuff. I'm talking long term here. Unless a miracle happens I don't think we're ever going to get to go back to our lives. I'm going to do my damnedest to make sure they never get their hands on you. I'd do the same thing for Daniel or Teal'c. You know that. I'll always look out for you, but if you ever want to walk away from this 'thing' don't feel that you can't because of anything I've done for you. Okay?"

"Okay," she agreed quietly. She had wanted him for so long that it seemed laughable to conceive that she would ever not want to be with him. She also knew that extreme situations gave rise to extreme feelings, feelings you might not normally have. She understood where he was coming from but hoped desperately that would not be their situation.

Jack let go of her hand and reached into his jacket pocket. He handed her a folded piece of paper. "Here."

She took the sheet of paper and lifted her head from his shoulder. She opened the paper and examined it. "What's this?"

"A little insurance in case we get separated for some reason. Memorize it. That's the account number and pin number to my cash and investments at Landau, Luckman, and Lake. They have offices in London, New York, San Francisco, Honolulu, Hong Kong, Casablanca, and Madripoor. There's enough for you to live off of for a long time. These people will be able to help you. They'll do whatever way they can. Just use my name."

Sam studied the list of names. It was organized by city.

'New York: Cole Cash, Archie Goodwin, Elijah Snow

Chicago: Bobby Caldwell

Los Angeles: Hannibal Smith, Templeton Peck, David Addison, Archie Gates

London: Catherine Crown

Venice Beach, Ca: Angus MacGyver'

"Angus MacGyver? Is that _the MacGyver_?" Sam asked in disbelief.

Jack looked more than a little uncomfortable, "Um, yeah. You could say we go way back. We haven't exactly spoken in a good many years now, but he'll do anything to help you." He pointed to the last city on the list.

'Honolulu: Thomas Magnum, Orville 'Rick' Wright, Theodore 'T. C.' Calvin'

"If anything happens at the airport, don't worry about me. I want you to get out as fast as you can and go to the King Kamehameha Club. Rick's the manager there. Get him to call Thomas and T.C.. Tell them everything."

"Everything?" she questioned.

"Well except for the Stargate and alien parts. They'll take care of you."

"Do you expect something to happen at the airport?" she asked worried.

"Not really, but expect the worse and hope for the best. Besides things have been going to well. That's not like our luck."

She nodded her understanding. Then she lay laid her head back on Jack's shoulder and closed her eyes.

TBC

A/N- There will most likely be a bit of time between this part and the next. I'm working my way through the first two seasons of Magnum, PI as research. I have a thing for dialogue and I need to get Thomas, TC, Rick and Higgins' 'voices' down before I can really write them. Hopefully it won't be too long though.


	16. Aloha

**Road to Nowhere**

**Part 16**

* * *

Note on Magnum timeline- For the sake of this story, Magnum and his pals are vets of the Gulf War not Vietnam. They resigned from the Navy and began their civilian lives in Hawaii probably about the time of the first Abydos mission. They're probably close to 40 in age. I hope that makes sense.

_

* * *

__From the case files Of Thomas Sullivan Magnum IV_

It's strange the way the past comes back to haunt you. Sometimes everything turns out fine, other times… not so fine. In Ichiro Yashida's case it cost him his life. Mr. Yashida was a well known ceramic artist in Honolulu. He lived quietly on an estate not far from Robin's Nest with his wife and mistress. Yeah, I know what you're thinking, but artists are allowed their eccentricities, aren't they? By all outward appearances it seemed Mr. Yashida had committed hara kiri, ritual suicide. Mrs. Yashida and Miss Nanahara thought otherwise and it turns out they were right.

Mr. and Mrs. Yashida and Miss Nanahara had immigrated from Japan to Hawaii in the 1960s. The set up housekeeping on the windward side of Oahu, one house for the wife and one house for the mistress and a pottery studio for Mr. Yashida. No one expected he'd been a Yakuza boss fleeing the retribution of a rival gang. He lived quietly with his 'family' in Hawaii for nearly forty years. That is up until some young yakuza punk with an art student girlfriend saw an article on the works of Ichiro Yashida. Deciding to make a name for himself this kid comes to Hawaii and hits Mr. Yashida with a throwing star covered in some kind of hallucinogen. It makes him relive the worst moments in his life, deaths he'd caused and pain he'd suffered himself. In the end, it was too much for him and he killed himself.

Mrs. Yashida and Miss Nanahara didn't actually know about the throwing star part but the they knew he'd been hallucinating. I discovered the throwing star in the meditation garden on their estate. Mr. Yashida must have been sitting their when he was hit. As I picked it up I pricked my finger with it. It was later that night after I had relived some of the worst moments of my life that I realized the connection. Fortunately for me, I didn't get enough of the hallucinogen in my system for me to contemplate suicide, but it still wasn't fun.

As it turned out, it looked like the kid wasn't satisfied with just Mr. Yashida's death and wanted to take out Mrs. Yashida and Miss Nanahara, too. So here we were, the ladies tucked safely away at Robin's Nest until this assassin could be apprehended. Robin Master's had been a fan of Mr. Yashida's work and had offered his estate and my services.

When Rick called saying he had a surprise for me I didn't expect it to be a ghost from my past. A ghost who featured in one of the worst times of my life, a time that I had just relived. I buzzed Rick in the gate and went out to meet him. Just stepping out of the King Kamehameha SVU was a woman with shockingly red hair. My eyes, of course, went to her first because she was a very attractive woman and I'm a man who likes very attractive women. She was dressed in jeans, a dark brown t-shirt, and cowboy boots, which was a little odd for Hawaii. She smiled at me and I smiled back. She had a nice smile. Then I noticed the man standing behind her. He looked very familiar but not right somehow. Then it clicked.

"Jack O'Neill! What the hell are you doing here!"

"Hiya, Tom." Jack grasped my offered hand.

"What's with the black hair?" I asked. Last time I'd seen Jack he'd had reddish brown hair just barely starting to show grey.

"Tryin' out something new. Whatcha think?"

"Not you." I knew Jack was in disguise for some reason and it couldn't a good reason.

"Holy- Jack!" TC had come out of the house and caught sight of Jack. "What the hell's wrong with your hair?"

"For cryin' out loud, I come all the way here and all you people can do is mock my hair," Jack shook TC's hand.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. I wasn't sure I'd like his answer.

"We're in a bit of trouble."

"Figures," TC snorted. "So you gonna introduce us to the lady?"

"This is Sam," Jack gestured to his companion. "Sam, this is Thomas and TC."

We shook her hand and I noticed the rings on her sparkling other hand. "You married him?"

"Kinda."

"Cover." Rick put in. I smiled to myself. Rick's first priority was always finding out whether beautiful women were available or not.

"You know it's pretty handy that you're here, Jack," I told him. "We could use a man of your expertise."

"Oh, yeah? What's up?"

"Thomas has got us protecting two old ladies from crazy assassins," TC explained.

"Sounds like fun. What's the deal?"

I gave Jack a quick run down and lead them into the main house. Higgins met us in the foyer. "Magnum, who are these people? Have you forgotten-" he broke off as he stared at Jack. Not to run a metaphor in the ground but he looked like he'd seen a ghost. "Scarecrow?"

Jack had his infamous blank expression on. "I have been called that on occasion," he said evenly.

"You're that mad American pilot," Higgins said.

"Sounds about right. And you're that stiff little Sergeant Major."

"That sounds about right," Rick put in.

Higgins ignored him and continued to stare at Jack. "We thought for certain you had died on that mountain. When we got back, the lads and I drank a toast in your memory."

"I hope it was good scotch."

Higgins held out his hand, "Thank you."

Jack shook his hand. "No big deal. I'm glad it turned out well."

"Jack's going to help us out," I told Higgins.

"That would be greatly appreciated." Higgins said never taking his attention from Jack. "If you'll excuse me?" And with that he walked off deeper into the house.

"I don't think I've ever seen Higgins impressed with someone before," TC said thoughtfully. He was right, too.

"Yeah, me neither. What did you did you, Jack?" Rick asked.

He shrugged, "Saved his ass twenty years ago."

We knew better than to try to get more out of Jack. Higgins would probably relate the story later anyway. "TC and I are going to do a sweep of the perimeter. Rick, you want to arm Jack."

"Sure. C'mon, Jack."

I glanced at Sam not really knowing what to do with her. She'd been sticking pretty close to

Jack. "Sam, you'll be safe if you stay with Higgins-."

"And the rest of the girls?" she asked sharply. "Thanks, but if there's gonna be a showdown I'd prefer a weapon, too."

Jack grinned. He knew we'd underestimate her and was just waiting for it "Meet _Major _Sam Carter, USAF. And just because her reproductive organs are on the inside and yours are on the outside doesn't mean that she can't kick your ass." He turned to Sam, "Did I get that right?"

Sam sighed heavily and shook her head, but rewarded Jack with a smile, "I'm never going to hear the end of that am I?"

"Nope."

"Look, Sam, I'm sorry. I didn't mean-" I began but she cut me off.

"It's okay. I'm used to it."

"Be careful or she might challenge you to arm wrestle." Jack winked at Sam and she elbowed him playfully in the ribs. They followed Rick to the bedroom that had been turned into the armory and I made my way outside to meet up with TC.

A little while later, we were making our way back to the main house when Rick came up to us. "Higgins is going over the layout of the estate with Jack and Sam's looking over the computer controlled security. I gotta tell you boys, that is a lady after my own heart. Not only is she really hot, you ought to see the way she handles a firearm."

"Yeah, well, Orville. I wouldn't try to handle her if I were you," TC told him.

"Jack wouldn't be too happy if you did," I agreed.

"You think they-"

"Oh, yeah."

Rick shrugged, "Just as well, she's too tall anyway."

"You mean you're too short," TC goaded him

We were just stepping up to the door when Jack came out with Sam close at his heels, their guns drawn. "The motion detectors along the beach have gone off," she told us.

"Rick, stay here," Jack ordered. "Thomas, you and I will head for the beach. TC, you and Carter circle around the garden and take up position in the tree line."

"Yes, sir," Sam answered automatically and she and TC were off. Jack and I made our way to the beach. Part of me was a little upset that Jack was taking charge of my 'op', but that was just my ego. My survival instinct was glad to have Jack in charge, because that meant no matter what we would get out of this. Jack was one of the legends in the military, the kind of guy you would follow anywhere. I trusted Jack as much as I did Rick and TC. He'd saved my life when he wasn't even capable of saving his on. I owed him and whatever kind of trouble brought him here, I'd do whatever I could to get him out. That is after we took care of this crazy assassin.

"This guy's an idiot," Jack muttered and I had to agree. He was just walking up the beach like he owned the place. "Carter," he spoke in to his radio. "You and TC get a clear shot, take it."

"Yes, sir."

"C'mon, let's go say hi," Jack told me and I followed him out into the open. "Assassin! Kree!" Jack yelled. The kid stopped and let lose a couple of throwing stars before a bullet took him down.

"Crap!" Jack yelped and I saw a throwing star sticking out of his bicep. "Please tell me this is not one of the poison ones."

"Looks like it."

"Swell."

"'Assassin! Kree!'?" I questioned.

"It's an expression. It worked didn't it?"

"Sir, what happened?" Sam asked coming out of the trees with TC following.

"That bastard got me with one of his poisoned thingies," Jack pulled it out of his arm and looked at it.

"Did you shoot him?" TC asked.

"No," I said. "I thought that was one of you."

"Nah, we didn't get a chance."

"Then who?"

"That would be me."

We all turned to see a Japanese man jump from the tree limb above our heads. He walked over to me and bowed formally. "Mr. Magnum, please extend the sincerest apologies of the Red Dragons to Mrs. Yashida. We deeply regret the death of Mr. Yashida. It was not sanctioned by our leadership. Please assure Mrs. Yashida and Miss Nanahara that they will be troubled no further."

A small motor boat approached the beach and two men jumped out. They retrieved the assassin's body and took it back to the boat.

The man before me bowed once more. I bowed back and he turned to walk to the boat.

"Hey," Jack called out. "I don't suppose you boys have an antidote?" Jack wave the throwing star.

"Unfortunately for you we do not. I suggest you have yourself sedated and restrained until it is out of your system."

"Crap."

TBC

* * *

A/N: Some of you wondered about the lesser known people on Jack's list from the last part. Cole Cash AKA Grifter is a character from the comic book Wild CATs. He was in a Black Ops unit that was experimented on by a government agency. Elijah Snow is part of the Planetary organization which is billed as 'Archeologists of the Unknown' from Warren Ellis's comic Planetary. (A great book by the way, it explores mythic sci-fi and comic characters in a way only Warren can pull off. Check it out.) Archie Goodwin is Nero Wolfe's confidential assistant from Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe novels. Bobby Caldwell is Linus's father mentioned in Ocean's 11. Catherine Crown is Catherine Banning from the Thomas Crown Affair. Most likely none or very few of these people will put in an actual appearance in the story. I just thought the list needed filling out and added some of my favorite fictional characters that could be in a position to help Jack out. Also, Landau, Luckman and Lake are an inter-dimensional investment and insurance firm that Wolverine from X-men has had dealings with. Madripoor is also a fictional island off of Asia that Wolverine used to own a bar on, in addition to having an L, L and L office. 


	17. Memory Lane

**Road to Nowhere**

**Part 17**

Jack leaned his head back against the couch trying to force back the images and sensations beginning to assault his senses.

"Are you okay, Jack?" Sam asked resting a comforting hand on his knee.

"Not really."

"It's started?"

"Yeah. You remember the Blood of Sokar?"

"How could I forget?"

"Well, I'm starting to think that was a walk in the park."

Higgins and Magnum came into the living room followed by who Sam assumed was the doctor. "This is Doctor Cornwell, Mr. Master's personal physician in Honolulu," Higgins introduced the man beside him.

Jack opened his eyes to look at the pudgy man. "Well, Doc, we might as well start this walk down memory lane."

"I've spoken with Mr. Magnum, Mrs. Yashida and Miss Nanahara about what symptom's Mr. Yashida displayed. I believe I have a sedative that will reduce-"

"Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Whatever," Jack waved his explanation away. "Just do what you gotta do. I don't need to know the details."

"Mr. Higgins has prepared a room, if you're ready?"

Jack stood and Sam moved to follow him. He stopped and turned back to her. "No."

"I'm not leaving you."

"Yes, you are."

"No, I'm not."

Jack glared down at her giving her the look that made many an airman tremble in their boots. "I'm not going to argue with you, _Major_."

She glared back at him defiantly. "I'm not letting you go through this alone, _Colonel_."

Anger blazing in his eyes, he turned away from her, "Thomas, you keep her out of that room. I don't care what you've got to do."

Magnum nodded his agreement. "Whatever you want, Jack."

Without a glance back, Jack followed Dr. Cornwell down the hall. Sam started after him, but she was held back by Magnum's restraining hand on her arm. She gave him a look that would have made system lords cringe.

"Perhaps I can interest you in some dinner, Major?" Higgins asked politely.

* * *

In the end, they wouldn't even let her in the main house. She was relegated to the guest house where Magnum lived. She lay in his bed unable to sleep while he slept on the couch in the living room, holding her prisoner. Somehow she managed to fall into a fitful sleep plagued by nightmares of Jack dying horribly and alone and no matter what she tried she can't reach him.

"JACK!"

Sam awoke with a start and lay there for a while forcing herself the breathe evenly and deeply. She threw the covers back and pulled her lavender silk robe over her matching pajamas. She made her way through the dark living room not even caring that she noisily bumped into several pieces of furniture.

"Sam?" a groggy voice from the couch asked. "You okay?"

"Peachy." Sam jerked open the refrigerator door and pulled a beer out. She popped the top and took a long pull. An arm snaked around her and snagged beer.

"He'll be okay, you know."

She closed her eyes and leaned on the refrigerator door. "No, I don't know that. That's the problem."

Thomas reached around her again and grabbed two more beers, "C'mon, let's take a walk."

"What, I'm being let out of my jail?"

He didn't respond so she trudged after him up the stairs and out across the lawn to the beach. Thomas plopped down on the ground and set down the two extra beers. Sam stood staring out over the ocean. It was a clear night with a very nearly full moon. The stars twinkling made her think of Jack. He loved the stars. He tried not to show it, just like everything else he felt strongly about. It was almost like he was afraid someone would take it away if they knew how much he cared about it; as if they would pull the stars from the sky just to spite him. She sighed heavily and sat down next to Magnum. He silently held out a fresh beer to her.

"Thanks."

"Don't worry, Sam. He'll pull through and in the mean time we'll do whatever we can to protect you.

"Why would you do that? You don't even know me."

"You're Jack's girl. We promised him we'd look after you."

"'Jack's girl,'" she repeated bitterly. "I've spent most of my life proving I'm not just 'General Carter's little girl' only to become 'Jack's girl'."

"I didn't mean it like that," he protested. "I only-"

"I know, Thomas. But it's true. It's not the first time someone has said something like that. I've been Jack's 2IC for five years. Even in the beginning when he didn't like me very much there were a lot of people that just assumed that I was screwing him to get ahead. I think even my own father thought we were having an affair the first time he met Jack. I guess none of them knew us very well. Jack's too honorable to do anything the endanger my career and I… I was too scared to do anything to endanger my career. Now it doesn't matter. Our careers are over and I guess if I end up just 'Jack's girl' it's not so bad."

"Is that why you're here?" Thomas asked quietly.

"No, nothing so scandalous," Sam said laughing slightly. "I was involved in something a couple years ago. I shouldn't have survived it, but I did and it changed me. A couple of month ago I was kidnapped by a man who thought that the changes my body had undergone could be the key to curing his illness. His doctors were just about to kill me and dissect me when Jack found me. Last week- God, only last week. I seems so much longer. Anyway, Jack received information that the NID thought I was more valuable for study than as an Air Force officer. Jack saved me again."

"Sounds like the NID. I hate those guys," he said in disgust. "When I was in Navy Intelligence, I had a run in with one Air Force Colonel- What was his name? Mayberry?"

"Maybourne?"

"Yeah, shifty little bastard."

Sam laughed at that. She wasn't surprised Maybourne had a reputation far and wide. "Yes, he is. And as much as I hate to admit it, he helped Jack save me twice."

"Well, I guess he was good for something."

"So you were in Navy Intelligence?"

"For a few years. I was a SEAL before that."

"Is that how you met Jack?"

"Yeah, we were on a couple of joint ops together. And then in Iraq, we were both POWs."

"You were there with him?" she asked, not really sure if she wanted to hear about it. She knew he had been left for dead and imprisoned for four months. It was one of the things you avoided talking about at all costs with Jack but she couldn't help her morbid curiosity.

"Only at the very end. I don't know how he survived it for four months. I don't think I could have. He had been the only American prisoner there. Jack hadn't give them any information, but they didn't kill him. They just toyed with him, tried to break him. They enjoyed hurting him. I don't know how a human being can treat another like they did him. They would have done the same to me I guess, but Jack… Y'know, he didn't even recognize me, but he saved me from the worst of it. He had been through hell for four months but he still tried to defend me from them. And they just hurt him more for his efforts."

"How did you get out?"

"TC and Rick forged orders, stole a helicopter, and put together a group that infiltrated the compound an got us out."

"They weren't court marshaled?"

"No, actually it seems like Jack had a couple of friends in high places. When they found out he was alive and how Rick and TC had saved him, everything was kinda pushed under the rug."

"So you haven't seen Jack since then?"

"No, we ran into him when he came to Hawaii after he got divorced. We had just resigned from the Navy. It was right before I started to work for Robin."

They sat in silence for a while. Sam stared up at the stars and couldn't stop herself from asking, "Did you hallucinate about your time in Iraq?"

Thomas took a sip of his beer and thought for a long moment before answering, "Yeah."

The breeze suddenly seemed a little cooler and Sam pulled her robe tighter around her.

"So were you a Combat Controller?" he asked trying to steer her thoughts away from Jack's nightmares.

"No, I'm an astrophysicist."

"But you said you were Jack's second?" he questioned in confusion.

"Trust me. It makes sense if you knew. It's just classified."

"Well, I understand that."

They fell into silence once again. She decided she liked Thomas Magnum and she couldn't hold Jack's stubbornness against Thomas and his friends.

TBC


	18. Rejoining the Living

Notes: Argh, I'm not terribly pleased with this part, but I figured I'd go ahead and get it out there because I've already got a good bit of the next part written. That part should be out in the next day or two.

* * *

**Road to Nowhere**

**Part 18**

Thomas, Rick, and TC took turns staying with Jack and keeping Sam entertained. Sam spent three days basically being a tourist in Hawaii. The day after Jack disappeared into his nightmares, TC took her on a helicopter tour of islands, he even gave a little instruction on how to fly a helicopter. The next day, Rick took her to the King Kamehameha club where she lounged on the beach most of the day. The day after that Thomas took her on a tour of Honolulu, She was amused that she seemed to frighten him a little when he allowed her control of the Ferrari. She had no contact with Jack and no information of his condition other than being continually assured her that Jack was going to be okay. Sam's fear for him gradually turned to anger and by the fourth day she felt like strangling him for his stubborn nature and how easily he just seemed shut her out.

* * *

Jack's entire body was sore. It felt like he'd just gone ten rounds with Teal'c. Without padding. He knew he had took look like crap, because quite frankly he felt like crap. The visions, hallucinations, nightmares, or whatever had finally subsided enough that Doctor Cornwell thought he was no longer a danger to himself and others. So he was being allowed out back into the land of the living. He was still kinda groggy from the sedatives he'd received for the past couple of days and weak from inactivity. Higgins and the doctor helped him dress and led him out to the patio where lunch was set out. It felt good to be out in the sun, but his eyes seemed to be rather light sensitive. Thankfully Higgins had his sunglasses ready for him.

Mrs. Yashida and Miss Nanahara were already seated when he arrived. The two women had turned out to be his guardian angels through this whole episode and an unlikelier pair he couldn't imagine. Mrs. Yashida sat very primly in a subdued kimono and her steely grey hair pulled back tightly in a bun at her neck. Miss Nanahara was more relaxed leaning back in her chair dressed in a chic boldly colored suit, her shiny black hair pinned up in a French twist. Both women with Magnum and his friends as guards had sat with him during the whole ordeal. They acted as his nurses caring for him and during his few lucid moments talked to him, mainly about ceramics. Jack had some interest in ceramics and found by questioning them on Mr. Yashida's processes that he was able to keep the darkness at bay for a little while at a time. He took a seat across from them and they greeted him warmly, pleased to see him up and about.

He was disappointed that Sam wasn't there to greet him as well and it must have shown on his face. "Samantha and Magnum will join us when they're through with their tennis match," Higgins said drawing his attention to the court a short distance away.

"Oh." Sam had here back to him and it looked like she was giving Thomas a run for his money. She was whacking the ball with a particular ferocity that caused him to run all over the court chasing the ball. After she finally hit him squarely in the chest with the ball, he threw up is hands in surrender.

* * *

"I'm sorry, Thomas," Sam apologized. "I didn't mean to do that."

"Not to me maybe," he grumbled rubbing the sore spot on his chest..

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'll live," Thomas caught sight of Jack sitting on the patio and turned back to his tennis partner. "Hey, Sam, go easy on him. I know you're mad that he shut you out, but he's been through a lot."

She followed his gaze across the lawn. Jack was sitting at the table. Her heart gave a little leap to see him out, but it was quickly squashed down by the anger and hurt. "I wouldn't know," she replied coldly.

"Sam, please. He's going to need you."

"Apparently he doesn't," she said turning away from him to exit the court.

Thomas grabbed her arm to stop her and for a brief moment he thought she was going to deck him. "Sam, listen, I sorta know what he's just been through. It was only one night of nightmares for me, but Jack's been through four days of reliving the worst moments of his life. It wasn't pretty. Quite frankly, I don't really blame him for not wanting you to see him like that. Jack's been through things that took away his control and dignity was taken away and that's not an easy thing for a man like Jack. I know you're upset. I guess you have a right to be, but just let it go. Let him have his pride"

Sam's expression softened and she nodded her understanding. She knew Magnum was right and she tried to push her anger and resentment away. She hated the feeling of helplessness and hoping that she had gone through. She told herself just be happy he was okay and followed Thomas out to the patio. The closer she got the more she realized that Jack looked like he'd been through hell and back. His face was pale beneath his normal tan. His hand shook slightly as he lifted his glass to his mouth. His smile was genuine, but tight and strained as he saw her coming. He unsteadily set his glass back down and she saw his wrists were red and bruised. That stopped her. He'd been restrained. They'd been forced to restrain him. He hated to be tied up. She knew that. She wanted to take him in her arms and kiss him and cry for him and take his hurt away, but it warred with her own frustration, fear and anger that had simmered for the past couple of days, threatening to explode.

"Well, it looks like you've had a nice little vacation while I've been walking through the valley of the shadow of death."

She knew she should have been expecting him to say something like that, but it wasn't what she needed to hear. If he would have simply said 'I missed you' or even just 'Hi' she would have sat down and had lunch and her anger would have dissipated. But Jack being Jack couldn't makes things easy. She walked right past the table.

"Sam?" Jack questioned sounding perplexed.

"Yes, sir?" she stopped not turning around.

"Are you going to have lunch?"

"I'm not hungry, sir."

"Sir?"

"Excuse me, I need a shower," she said taking off a cross the lawn before the tears began to flow.

Jack stared after her fleeing form utterly confused.

"She's pissed," Thomas offered.

"Ya think?"

* * *

By the time Sam got to the guest house, she had her tears under control but her emotion were far from being controlled. She started to turn on the shower, but stopped. It was likely by the time she emerged from a shower Jack or Thomas would be waiting for her. She really didn't feel like facing either one. She quickly stripped of her clothes and pulled on the swim suit she had bought a couple days ago. She hurried out to the beach and the tidal pool and hoped she would be left in peace to sort through her thoughts.

* * *

Jack stood on the beach, his hands thrust deeply in his pockets. He watched Sam floating on her back in the clear water her eyes closed against the bright sun. He knew her well enough that the wheels were turning frantically in her mind. He could see her sigh heavily and then she opened her eyes perhaps realizing she was a little farther from shore than she thought. Her expression hardened when she saw him watching her. She swam slowly to the beach and when she rose from the surf she reminded him a little of the Botticelli painting except Sam's hair was cropped short and she was clad in a rather modest black bikini. He wished she wasn't angry with him. Things might have gotten interesting. Well, if he wasn't so exhausted in the first place.

Sam wrapped her towel around her and walked up to him, "Are you supposed to be out here, sir?"

"What's with the 'sir'?"

"Would you prefer 'Colonel'?"

"I prefer 'Jack'. Something happen that I don't know about?" he tried to keep his voice light and his temper in check.

"I'm sure there's quite a bit that I don't know about."

"Look, Sam, I'm not sorry that I kept you out of this, but I'm sorry if I hurt you."

Sam gave up on restraining all the conflicting emotions that had boiling within her for days , actually ever since this trip began she had been off balance and out of the loop. She hated that. "What happened to it being okay to need someone when nightmares overwhelmed you?" she demanded angrily. What happened to sticking together, because we're all we have? It's okay for the weak little woman, but not you! You always have to be the big fucking hero don't you, Jack? I am so sick of that way of the warrior crap from you . Can't you ever be weak?"

"Weak?" he laughed harshly. "Don't talk to me about that. Major Carter the perfect little officer. You don't have a bit of damn room to talk about me shutting you out! You are the queen of shutting people out! Me especially!" He could see her about to protest, "AH! You know it. Don't deny it! Everything from Jolinar to the Adrian Conrad crap. You closed me out. You'll let some strange alien in before me. So don't start."

"You know why that is," she said, her voice strained.

"I know I was your friend and I wanted help." He rubbed his hands over his face and scrubbed them through his hair in frustration. "Sam, I've just spent days staring my demons in the face and it wasn't fun. Things were dredged up that I had dealt with long ago and now I have to do it again. And, damn it, I wanted you there. I wanted you to make it go away, but there would have been nothing for you to do but watch me rave and relive things that should have happened to no human being in the first place. I wanted to die! I'm sure in my delusions I begged them to kill me." He held up his bruised wrists. "They had to tie me up to keep me from killing myself. Would you have honestly wanted to be witness to that? You can't fix everything, Carter. No matter how much you want to, you can't fix me. I'm not a goddamn Naquada reactor!"

"I know," she said softly and turned away from him moving back towards the house. Jack watched her go not knowing what to do. She stopped as she passed by the Ferrari and to his amazement climbed in and drove away. Jack trudged up to the house, feeling very old and very tired.

---

TBC


	19. A New Home

**Road to Nowhere**

**Part **19

* * *

Jack let himself back in the house. Magnum heard him and met him in the foyer.

"You okay, Jack?"

"Peachy," Jack growled feeling like crap physically and emotionally.

"Where's Sam?"

Jack allowed himself a small smile remembering the gravel flying as Sam sped out the drive. "Let's just say that it wasn't so smart to leave your keys in the Ferrari. That woman loves a fast car."

Thomas looked sincerely terrified.

"I see you've ridden with her. I'm sure she'll bring it back in one piece." Jack shrugged, "If not she can put it back together. She's good at crap like that."

"Should be out alone?"

"Probably not. But if she were here we'd probably kill each other by -" Jack stopped and the interior of the house seemed to dissolve into Apophis's dungeon. "Skaara…" he gasped, his knees buckling and Thomas rushed to support him.

* * *

Sam drove for hours. She had always found driving cleared her mind and luckily the car had a full tank of gas. As much as she would have loved to let loose in the Ferrari, she was careful to abide the speed limits. It wasn't like she had her diver's licenses, fake or otherwise, tucked into her bikini.

In the course of her drive she realized that even though she probably had some right to be hurt that Jack pushed her away, she had basically acted like a bitch. She also kept hearing the words of her former fiancée over and over in her mind. 'Healer of the emotionally wounded,' he'd taunted her. Jonas was right. Jack was right. She wanted to fix everything and everyone. But some things couldn't be forced into logical order. Some things couldn't be fixed. Some things a person had to do on their own. She had always known Jack to be an intensely private man. She knew he had to face his demons in his own way and was probably trying to protect her from the worst of them. She promised herself, she would be there in whatever manner he allowed her to be.

While she was waiting at a stop light on the way back, Sam stared at the chipped gaudy hot pink polish on her nails as her hands rested on the steering wheel. She really hated seeing the chipped polish. She decided she needed a manicure. She had earlier found in addition to foolishly leaving his keys in the car Magnum had also left a gym bag in the passenger's seat that contained a change of clothes and his wallet. Sam decided she would get a manicure and a pedicure.

Sam quickly found a nail salon and pulled up. She took a navy polo shirt out of the gym bag and pulled it on over her swim suit. Then she put on his over sized flip-flops and walked into the salon.

* * *

"Have a nice drive?" Jack asked not even looking up from the chess board separating him from Magnum.

"Lovely," she smiled sincerely at him, feeling a lot more relaxed after her drive and having her nails done. He didn't notice her smile. She didn't mind. She knew how intent he could be at chess.

Jack moved a piece across the board. "Ha!" he smirked. "Checkmate."

"Damn it!" Thomas growled and took a sip of his beer. He looked up noticing Sam standing there for first time. "That's my shirt."

"Well, you know the rule: No shoes, no shirt, no service." She handed him his keys and wallet. "The car's fine. I do owe you a couple of bucks though."

"Tell you what, Sam. You beat him and we'll call it even," Thomas said to her and then glared at the smirking triumphant Jack. Magnum stood and Sam took his place as Jack set the pieces back up. He rotated the board so that she had the black pieces. A peace offering. They normally fought over them.

"Thanks."

Thomas drained the rest of his bottle and asked, "Hey, Sam, you want a beer?"

"Yeah, thanks."

"Grab me one too," Jack called after him.

"No!"

"Sore loser!" Jack taunted, then turned his attention to Sam, "Your move."

Sam studied the board for a moment and the looked up to meet his tired brown eyes. "Jack, look I'm-"

"I know."

"I didn't mean-"

"I know."

"Jack…"

"It's okay."

She nodded and looked down at the board, absently fiddling with the queen.

"I think those are against regulations, too."

"What?" she asked confused and then followed his gaze to her bright red nails. "Yeah, this is better that hot pink though." She held out her foot for his inspection and wiggled her toes.

"Oh, look bloody toes. My favorite."

Sam laughed and they commenced their game. She knew they would be okay now.

* * *

Over the next couple of days Jack's nightmarish episodes became increasingly less frequent and there really didn't seem to be any lingering effects. Thomas used his contacts in Navy Intelligence to satisfy his curiosity about a rumor he'd heard about an Air Force officer he'd formerly served with going AWOL. He reported back that the rumor was true and that the Air Force officer in question had apparently abducted his second in command and disappeared without a trace. The NID was investigating but had no idea where they could be. Sam and Jack congratulated themselves and began discussing options.

"So, why don't you stay here? I mean, who would even consider that you decided to take up residence in Hawaii?" Thomas asked.

"That's…actually a very good idea," Jack responded mulling it over. "Whatcha think, Sam?"

"Well, it's not exactly the third world country I was looking forward to living out the rest of my days in, but I guess it'll do," Sam gave him a teasing smile.

* * *

Higgins offered them a roof over their heads until a more permanent residence could be found, which oddly didn't take too long. It seemed that Mrs. Yashida and Miss Nanahara had become lonely living in their separate houses alone and decided to only live in one together. They offered Miss Nanahara's former establishment to Sam and Jack to rent at a

ridiculously low rate. They had apparently taken quite a shine to Jack.

A Japanese-style garden separated their new home from their benefactor's house. It was a beautiful house, a combination of traditional Japanese design and 1960's Modernism. Sam liked the simple elegance and clean lines. They both loved the huge widows overlooking a patio complete with a small pool and their own private stretch of beach.

Sam allowed Jack the larger more masculine decorated bedroom. They seemed to reach a mutual unspoken agreement that they needed to take a step back and move slowly in their relationship whatever it may be. Not that really had much time for anything else while they organized their new life.

With the securing of lodgings Jack broke out their new identities. They took off their wedding bands and became Samantha Tesla and Jack Donovan. With the fresh start Sam had also insisted that they visit a salon to restore their normal hair color. Jack was pleased to have his favorite blonde back.

* * *

The first official night in their new home, Sam had stayed up late building her new computers in what Jack was referring to as her 'evil lair', complete with quotation marks in the air. She had been so immersed in her project she hadn't even noticed when Jack went to bed. In fact, she hadn't taken any notice of him at all since TC brought her home with her computer components. Well, except when he'd forced her to eat some of the pizza he had ordered for dinner.

As she quickly ate she noticed he seemed to be in pensive mood. He just kind of stared off into space not really seeing or hearing her. Not once did he interrupt her technobabble schpiel. He just let her talk not even pretending to listen and she was too excited about her new computers at the time to notice or wonder at his mood.

She was jarred out of her intense concentration by a scream. The raw nature of the scream caused visions of pain sticks and Goa'uld torturers to flash through her mind. She was quickly on her feet and running to Jack's bedroom, though not before grabbing her new gun.

She found Jack curled up on the bed in a fetal position whimpering like a beaten dog. It was the most disturbing thing she had ever seen in her entire life, even with all her travels across the galaxy. Colonel Jack O'Neill, Intergalactic Hero, did not cower, did not whimper, did not beg, but he was doing all those things now. It broke her heart.

Sam knew she had to be careful when she woke him. She had been briefed before about how to deal with someone having Post-Traumatic Stress nightmares and flashbacks. She carefully sat on the bed. Even the tiny bit that she had jostled the mattress caused him to curl up even tighter, if that was possible.

"Jack, wake up," she said softly and gently. "You're safe, Jack." She carefully reached out to touch his shoulder, wary that he might unconsciously lash out. He began to shake and muttered something in what she thought was Arabic. "Jack, you're okay. It's Sam. You're not there anymore. You're here safe with me. Please wake up."

He was unresisting as she rolled him over onto his back. He flinched as she ran her hand through his sweaty hair, brushing it off his forehead. "Jack, it's okay. You're safe. You're home you're not there. You're safe. Please come back to me."

Something or possibly nothing she said finally clicked and Jack opened his fear filled eyes. "Carter?" he croaked in disbelief. She nodded running a tender hand across his cheek. He turned into her caress, but the fear in his expression didn't go completely away, it just mostly turned to confusion. "What…"

"You were dreaming," she told him as she resumed running her fingers soothingly through his hair.

He took a long shuddering breath and closed his eyes, willing away the memories still racing through his brain. "Go away, Sam," he whispered raggedly. "Please go away."

"No, Jack. You're not pushing me away this time."

"Please, Sam. Just go."

"Why?"

Jack opened his eyes and she was shocked by the raw desperation she saw there. "Because I need you," he whispered raggedly. "I need to feel alive. I need to feel real. And God help me I want more than anything to lose myself in you."

"I'm not going anywhere, Jack."

* * *

Jack awoke with a ragged sob. The sickenly sweet scent of burnt flesh lingered from his nightmare. He bolted from the bed to the bathroom and emptying the contents of his stomach until it was only dry heaves. He barely registered the hands rubbing his back in soothing circles. Finally he collapsed bonelessly against the cabinets forcing himself to breathe calmly and deeply. A small cup of mouth wash was pressed into his hand. He obediently swished his mouth out and spit into the toilet before falling back against the cabinet, closing his eyes. A cool damp cloth glided gently over his face and chest, washing away the cold sweat he had awoken in. When he felt sufficiently calm, he opened his eyes and half expected to find himself a world away. Instead he met a pair of concerned blue eyes. "Carter?"

"Yeah, Jack," she smiled reassuringly and reached out to grasp his hand.

He didn't say anything at first seemingly satisfied that she wasn't an apparition. Then his eyes trailed over her naked form and widened in shock a the bruises marring her pale skin. He reached out to touch the bruises on her neck. His fingers trailed down tracing the bruises on her breasts, hips and thighs.

"I did this." He remembered letting go and losing himself in her arms, but he'd thought it was a dream like so many others. He met her calm gaze and found nothing fearful or accusatory. She hadn't flinched away from him when he reached out to touch her. That confused him even more. "God, Sam, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"It's okay, Jack."

"No, it's not! Look at yourself! I hurt you!" his voice verging on the hysterical.

"No, you didn't," she said calmly. "It's not like you forced me to do something I didn't want, Jack."

"But I look at what I did!"

"Jack, stop. Listen to me. I enjoyed it. There's nothing wrong with a little rough sex now and again. Sometimes we all need it." He still looked aghast. She sighed. "I just bruise easily. You know that. It looks worse than it is. It's not like you're unscathed either. You've got quite a few bruises yourself and your back is probably scratched up."

It was true his back did sting a little, but that was no solace. "I used you, Sam. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to do that."

"You didn't use me."

"Please let me make it up to you."

"There's nothing to make up for, Jack."

"Please, Sam. Please let me make it up."

Sam studied him for a second. It hurt her to see him upset over something she had thoroughly enjoyed. She knew when he was like this there was nothing she could say to make him believe that he hadn't hurt her. She knew from experience that Jack O'Neill could lay one hell of a guilt trip on himself and there wasn't anything you could do but allow him to 'make it up' if he wanted to.

She stood and held her hand out to him, "Okay, Jack, whatever you want."

* * *

What he wanted was to drive her absolutely insane with his hands and mouth. Their first time in LA had been everything she hoped it would be and more. Then last night when he had sought to lose himself in her one of the most intense experiences as she reveled in his strength and passion. None of her experience with Jack or with any other man had been close

to the all and all assault on her pleasure centers that he had been waging. When she was able of forming a coherent thought she wondered if it was possible to die from pleasure. Screw going out in a blaze of glory on a battlefield, she preferred death by Jack.

She lazily opened her eyes and met apprehensive brown ones. She knew he was silently asking her if everything was okay, but she had no words to express how okay it was. She reached for him and he pulled away. She followed him across the bed, "Your turn, Jack."

"No." He scooted even farther across the sheets.

"What do you mean no?"

"I don't deserve it."

"Trust me, after that you deserve the galaxy on a gold platter," she snuggled up to his back her hands roaming down his chest. His hands stopped hers before they reached there destination.

"No."

She pulled away from him and sat up in the bed. She studied him almost curled up into a fetal position again. Apparently, 'making it up' to her wasn't enough to satisfy his guilt. He had to deprive himself of his release as well. "Jack, please don't hide from me."

"I'm sorry, Sam. Just go to bed," he mutter hoarsely in his pillow.

She looked at him a moment longer, before she laid a hand on his shoulder leaned over to kiss his cheek, "Good night, Jack." She pulled the covers back over her and settled down beside him on the bed.

A few moments later, Jack rolled over to face her, "Why aren't you afraid of me?"

"Why should I be?"

"Because I used you…like they did me…like I did Sara," he said whispered so quietly she almost couldn't hear him.

Thinking actions spoke louder than words, she slid over to and snuggled up close to him. This time he didn't move just held her tightly, one arm wrapped securely around her waist and his other hand rested on the column of her neck his thumb stroking her jaw. He took a deep breathe. "After I came back from Iraq, I was in bad shape," he began quietly. She tried to look at him but he kept her head pressed firmly to his chest. When I was in the hospital they had these shrinks come talk to me. But you know me, I told them what they wanted hear but I didn't really tell them anything that really happened. I just wanted to go home, to my wife and my son. Sara didn't visit me much. She couldn't really deal with seeing me like that. I couldn't really blame her, but she wouldn't even bring Charlie to see me. When I finally got home it was hard. Sara was walking on eggshells around me and Charlie just didn't really understand what was wrong with his dad. I knew they'd get over it eventually and it was great to be home, but it just felt like a dream. I was afraid I'd wake up." He paused and let out a heavy sigh. "Sara just didn't really know how to help me with what I was going through. I would wake up screaming, so I slept in the spare bedroom. One night it was just to much. I need my wife.. I needed to feel loved. So I went to her. I didn't mean to hurt her. It wasn't like I hit her or anything, but I scared her. I needed to know it wasn't a dream. I needed her so badly and she was scared. I wasn't the man she'd married." He gave bitter little laugh, "She had me committed. I spent months in psychiatric care. She asked for a divorce and kept Charlie away. I don't know why, but for some reason she started to come to see me and we got counseling together. We eventually worked things out, but it wasn't ever the same as before. I think maybe she was always a little afraid of me even before that. I hated that. I hate being out of control. I don't want you to be afraid of me. I don't think I could stand it."

Sam didn't know what to say, she had never known Jack to be so open before. Part of her hated Sara for turning her back on Jack, because she knew he would never really hurt anyone that he cared for. But then part of her understood it. Jack had needed professional help whether he wanted it or not. It said a hell of a lot about how he pulled himself from the brink that he wasn't given a medical discharge after that. She pressed a kiss to his chest, "I have never been afraid of you, Jack."

His hand moved up to ruffle her hair and she felt him press his lips to her forehead. "I love you, Sam."

"I know. I love you too, Jack." His arms tightened around her. "Do you know why I had level three advanced training?" she softly asked. "Given my position in the Air Force before the SGC, I didn't really need it."

"I had wondered."

"You remember Jonas Hanson?" She felt him nod. "Remember how I said he liked to be in control? He used to like to control me. He only got physical once, but it was enough. I though he was going to kill me." She felt him tense up. "I didn't want to ever feel like that again so. I learned how to protect myself. My point is the reason I was attracted to Jonas in the first place is that he had the potential to be dangerous. That was appealing to me and he did scare me, even before he physically hurt me. That was part of the reason I was attracted to you too, but the difference is you've never made me feel anything but completely safe. I trust you and I'm not afraid of you. So please don't feel guilty. You didn't hurt me."

"Okay, Sam. Point made." He tipped her chin up and gave her a tender lingering kiss. "I almost wish that bastard was still alive so I could kill him myself." She pulled out of his arms. "Where you going?"

"Nowhere." She sat up and straddled his hips. "We have some unfinished business." She leaned down and kissed him.

---

TBC


	20. Enter Thor

**Road to Nowhere**

**Part 20**

* * *

A/N: Here's a little bit of fluff to balance out some of the darkness in the last chapter. Hope it's not too saccharine. For those waiting to see what's happening at the SGC, that's up next.

* * *

When Sam finally woke up it was late morning. She could feel Jack pressed tightly behind her, his arms wrapped around her. The night had been both wonderful and disturbing, but it was a beautiful morning. Well, except for the grey sky and the rain beating down on the large picture window.

"I thought it never rains in Hawaii," she murmured to herself.

"No, that's southern California," Jack said to her surprise, she hadn't thought he was awake.

"What?"

"Y'know the song. 'It never rains in southern California, but, girl, don't they warn ya, it pours, man, it pours'. It's probably before your time though."

She laughed, "I know the song." They fell into a comfortable silence. Sam was in no particular hurry to get up. It wasn't like she had to be at work. She had always felt particularly lazy on rainy days like this and if she wasn't on duty she usually spent most of the day lounging in bed and reading. Today it made her happy to have someone to lounge around in bed with, especially since that someone was Jack.

She felt Jack press a gentle kiss to her neck. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Last night."

She pulled out of his arms and rolled over to face him. She took in his earnest expression. "You don't have to thank me for that. You would have done the same for me."

He ran a hand over her cheek in a light caress. "Sometimes I wonder if you're a saint or certifiably insane to have put up with me all these years and to end up loving me."

"I'd bet on the latter."

Jack chuckled rolling over on his back and pulling her with him. "What a pair, a mad scientist and a scarred up old soldier."

"I like your scars, especially this one," she said tracing the scar dividing his eyebrow. "It makes you look sinister… rakish."

"God, you're weird," he teased.

"What? it's not like I don't have scars."

"I wish you didn't," Jack said turning serious. He ran his hand over a faint ragged scar on her shoulder he knew was from a staff blast.

Sam raised a questioning eyebrow.

"There's nothing wrong with them," he quickly amended. "I just wish you didn't have to go through the stuff to get them." His expression turned thoughtful and he absently traced the long thin scar curving around her side. "You were so green when I first met you. So naïve and innocent about things that I had been doing for a long time. You had a hell of chip on your shoulder, too." He quirked a smile remembering her feminist rants. "I thought I was going to have to physically knock it off, but you turned out okay." He huffed a sigh. "I'm just sorry you couldn't hang on to that innocence."

"If I had you wouldn't have had any use for me on your team." She thought a moment and added, "Or in your arms."

Jack snorted in amusement, "You're probably right. I'm not into little girls, in the field or other places."

"Well, I'm not into little boys."

"No, you're into old men."

"You're not old."

"See 'mad'," he teased, poking her in her side.

Sam smiled and relaxed back against him, unconsciously stroking his chest. After a while she asked, "So you think we're gonna be safe here?"

"As much as anywhere," he conceded. "I feel better about having Thomas, TC, and Rick as back up. And Higgins too."

"What's the story with you two?" Sam asked. She was just as curious as the guys. Jack had been so mysterious about it.

"Story for another day," he said being mysterious again. "I've got a surprise for you."

"What is it?"

"A housewarming gift." Jack pulled away from her and hopped out of bed. She watched as he hastily threw on the clothes he'd had on last night. "Stay there. I'll be right back."

---

By the time Jack came back, Sam had pulled on one of his shirts and was staring at the rain running down the window. She turned back to the door when she heard him enter. "You know," she began, watching him pull his wet shirt off. "We have these wonderful inventions called umbrellas. They keep you dry."

"I guess someone doesn't want their surprise," he said with a mock stern look.

"Okay. Okay. What is it?"

Jack unbuttoned the cargo pocket on his pants and a fuzzy grey head popped out. Sam laughed. "Is that a cat in your pocket or are you happy to see me?"

"Funny." He scooped the kitten out of his pocket and deposited it in her lap. "Meet Thor."

"Thor?" The kitten meowed loudly obviously recognizing his name. "I don't get to name him?"

Jack sank down on the bed and tugged playfully on the kitten's tail. Thor promptly attacked his hand. "I was afraid you'd give him a sciencey name like Oppenheimer or something."

Sam pulled the kitten away from gnawing on Jack's hand. "So you named him after the Supreme Commander of the Asgard Fleet?"

"Hey, he named a ship after me. Which you blew up I might add."

"You're never going to forgive me for that are you:

"Nope. Besides he kinda looks like Thor."

She held him up to study him. He was a Siamese with a grey face, ears, legs, and tail, the rest creamy. He was skinny with a tail that seemed as long as his body, oversized ears, bright slightly crossed blue eyes, and huge paws that might have been better suited to a Labrador puppy. Sam gave him a look that indicated she thought he was completely insane.

"No, really," Jack took the cat from her and pressed his ears to his head. "See, take away the ears and he kinda look like a blue eyed Thor. A fuzzy blue eyed Thor."

Sam reluctantly admitted he was right. Thor escaped Jack's hold and pounced on Sam's feet as they moved restlessly under the sheets.

Sam beamed at Jack. "Thank you." She leaned over and gave Jack a grateful kiss. Thor purring insinuated himself between them, breaking it up.

"You're welcome." Jack stuck his hand under the sheet and began moving it around, playing with the kitten. "I picked him up yesterday while you were out with TC. I was going to give him to you when you got home, but you were just so damn excited about your computers. So he got to hang out at the landladies' house and get to know Michael and Popo."

"Well, that's good. He'll have some playmates."

"We're obviously not talking about the same animals, Sam."

She realized he was right. The only thing she'd seen the massive orange cat and petite white cat do is lounge in the sun. She didn't think she's even seen them walk.

"How about some breakfast?"

Sam leaned back into her pillows and smiled sweetly at him, "As long as it's in bed."

"That can be arranged."

---

TBC


	21. When Harry Met Danny

Sorry about the delay in updating. Things have been pretty chaotic for me lately. I haven't had much time to write and probably won't for a little while, so the next couple of updates while probably be delayed as wel. Sorry again.

**Road to Nowhere**

**Part 21**

Daniel dropped his coffee and nearly dropped the books in his arms in his effort to get to the phone in his office. It wasn't the first time he'd done it since Sam and Jack had disappeared. He always hoped the ringing phone would bring news of his friends, so what was a little spilled coffee. "Daniel Jackson," he said into the receiver a little breathlessly.

"Daniel? Are you alright?" Catherine Langford's concerned voice came over the line.

"Catherine." He sighed in disappointment. "No, not really. I nearly broke my neck trying to get to the phone hoping it'd be Sam or Jack."

"Still no word?"

"No. The NID's still investigating. Their latest theory is that Jack finally snapped and kidnapped Sam for some nefarious reason. Rape, murder, you know that kid of stuff."

"That's ridiculous. Jack would never do that."

"No, he wouldn't. I don't care how nuts he went, Jack would never do anything to hurt Sam. He- uh- cares a lot about her."

"I know, Daniel."

"Anyway, I think they're running from something or they've both been kidnapped. Or killed." Daniel really didn't like to consider those possibilities but it had been over a month with no word. "So, Catherine. How're things with you?"

"Good. Very good. There's been some very interesting pieces donated to the Met recently. I think you would find them fascinating."

"I'm sure I would."

"I think you need to come out for the weekend. You haven't visited in quite a while. Ernest has been asking about you."

"Oh, Catherine. I'd love to. Really. But I can't leave. I need to be here in case something comes up."

"Daniel, you need a break. In fact, General Hammond agrees with me. Your plane leaves at 7:00 in the morning."

"Catherine…"

"You need a break. Do you think Sam and Jack would want you to make yourself sick over them."

"No," Daniel replied grudgingly. In fact, Jack would have already thrown him off the base if he had been there. Jack being there would have solved the whole problem though.

"See you in the morning."

---

Daniel was left to his own devices while Catherine spoke to the curator. His feet inevitably led him to the atrium housing the Temple of Dendur. He was pleased to find the room free of tourists. The morning sun filtered through the trees outside the skylights and dappled the stone in shadow. Daniel as always stood before it in awe and grief stricken. It was beautiful, but he had watched his parents crushed to death by the pillars and stones of this temple. He walked slowly around the outside of the temple studying the carvings on the wall, images of Isis, Osiris, and Horus. This temple had been carved long after the Stargate had been buried though when the Goa'uld represented where nothing other than a legend.

"Doctor Jones?"

Daniel gave a deep sigh shoving the memories back in the box in his mind. "Actually, it Jackson." He turned and came face to face with the last person he expected to see, but the first person he should have expected. "Maybourne!"

"Actually, it's Parker. Robert Leroy Parker."

"What in the hell took you so long!"

"Keep your voice down," Maybourne said glaring at him.

"Fine. Where are Jack and Sam?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know?" Daniel asked in disbelief.

"No, and I don't want to know."

"It took you a month to get back to tell me that?"

"Listen, Dr. Jackson and listen carefully. You're being watched and followed. All of you. I had to wait for the heat to die down a little bit and get you away from Colorado Springs."

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense," Daniel agreed grudgingly. "So what have you got?"

"Elements of the NID want Major Carter for study and frankly they wouldn't mind seeing Jack dead as well. He's always been a major pain in their ass."

"Sam? Why would they want Sam?" He asked in confusion. Daniel could understand them wanting to take out Jack, but Sam had never been a threat to them.

Maybourne looked irritated that he wasn't catching on quickly, but managed to say patiently, "The same reason Adrian Conrad wanted her."

"Oh, God. Do they have them?"

"I don't think so or they wouldn't still be looking so hard for them."

"Point," Daniel nodded. "Why don't you know where they are?"

"Because Jack is very good at what he does. He knows how to disappear and he's done a good job of it. The NID is running around like chickens with their heads cut off. It's kind of funny actually." Maybourne chuckled at the thought of his befuddled former associates.

"Okay, so Sam and Jack are in hiding. Why wouldn't they try to get in touch with us once there safe?"

"What part of 'you're being watched' don't you understand, Doctor Jackson?" Maybourne demanded allowing his irritation with the archeologist show.

"Right." Daniel felt silly. He really wasn't very good at this cloak and dagger stuff. He turned away from Maybourne and stared at the Temple again. These were the things he understood. "Isn't anything we can do to help?"

"Just let them disappear. Forget about them. That's the only thing you can do to help them."

Daniel turned back to Maybourne, but he was no longer there. That man could be downright creepy. Daniel sat down on the steps of the temple and waited for Catherine to return. He thought over what Maybourne had said. He was glad that Jack and Sam was relatively safe at the moment, but the thought of never seeing them again made him heartsick.


	22. Scenes from Paradise 1

The next couple of part was going to be part ofone huge chapter composed of vignettes dealing with Sam and Jack adjusting to their new life in Hawaii, but I figured I'd post the vignettes seperately so you get quicker, but smaller updates.

**Road to Nowhere**

**Part 22 A**

It didn't take Jack long to realize that Sam Tesla was just as much a workaholic as Sam Carter. In the week since moving into their new home Sam had barely ventured forth from her 'evil lair'. She was writing a book on wormhole physics which he had no problem with. He knew she had been wanting to get around to it for some time. He understood that she needed to keep her genius brain stimulated to be happy. What he didn't understand is why she needed to work on it 19 hours a day. It wasn't like she needed to put in those kinds of hours because she was still in the business of saving the world everyday or finding a way to rescue his ass from whatever planet he managed to get stranded on.

It didn't take Sam long to realize that Jack couldn't order her to stop working anymore. It was one of the few moments that he missed the rank that had kept them apart. Jack tried wheedling, cajoling, bribery, and even dragging her into an argument. Nothing worked she just ignored him. He tried withholding food, but she didn't seem to notice and Jack felt bad after a while and relented.

The one thing in his bag of tricks that seemed to work was seduction. She always responded to that. It might take a while for Sam to find him more interesting than her equations, but Jack liked a challenge. She always reacted eventually and passionately. Jack had the nasty suspicion that she had figured out his ruse and made it a point to wear him out. He hated those moments after he woke up expecting to have the woman of his dreams beside him but, only to find a empty bed. He quite frankly didn't know where she found all the energy and knew she was crash sooner or later. Or give him a heart attack.

* * *

Jack stood in the threshold of Sam's 'evil lair'. Same was scribbling franticly on the dry erase board covering one wall. Her hands and fore arms were covered in the powdery ink of the markers. She'd obviously lost her eraser again. Jack heaved a weary sigh and looked at the kitten tucked in his arms, "Well, Thor, buddy, I think it's time to call reinforcements."

"Mreow."

* * *

The four men stood in the door way and watched in puzzlement as Sam typed at a maddening pace on her keyboard, glancing over at her notes every now and again.

"What's she doing?" Thomas asked.

"Writing a book on wormhole physics," Jack responded.

"Oh," the three other men said in unison, nodding sagely.

They studied Sam for a bit longer.

"What is 'wormhole physics'?" Rick asked looking perplexed.

Jack shrugged, "Physics about wormholes."

"Ah." Three more heads nodding.

Jack smirked. They had no clue.

"Does she have worms in there?" TC asked.

Jack turned and looked at the other man. He looked more than a little creeped out about the thought of dealing with worms. "Nah, it's all theoretical."

"Good." Yes, that definitely was a sigh of relief.

Jack turned his attention back to the woman completely oblivious to their presence. "Sam." No response. Not that he expected one. "CARTER!" He barked in his best Colonel O'Neill voice and was please to see her jump a little.

"I'm busy."

"Well, I tried," Jack muttered. "Okay, boys. You know what to do."

The four men strode into the room. Jack and Thomas grabbed her chair and attempted to pull her away from the computer. "What the hell do you think you're doing!" She clung frantically to her keyboard, but they had a firm hold on her and the keyboard was jerked out of it's socket. Sam threw the keyboard at Jack. She missed which told Jack how worn out she was. TC and Rick who had been saving her work and shutting down the computers came to stand by Jack and Thomas who had her backed into a corner.

Sam glared at the men surrounding her, "What is wrong with you people?"

Jack was mildly impressed that none of their friends seemed the least bit intimidated. Sam could be pretty scary when she was angry and, boy, was she angry.

"Nothing's wrong with us," Jack told her. "You're the problem. You need to relax."

"You need to leave me the hell alone! You can't order me around anymore, _Jack_!"

"I'm not ordering you around, _Sam_. This is polite request from your friends to join us for night out."

"I'm busy!"

"You were busy. Your calendar's been cleared. You're going out with us whether you like it or not. So get off your ass and put on something respectable. You've got thirty minutes."

"Or what?" she demanded defiantly.

"Or were going to drag you out of that chair and do it for you."

Sam met Jack's eye and glared at him. She looked over at the other men and realized they had no qualms about doing what said. She knew he had won.

* * *

"Why am I carrying you again?"

"You got me drunk."

"Oh, right. Silly me," Jack dumped Sam on the bed and Thor jumped up to investigate.

Jack sat on the edge of the bed. His knees bad been just short of giving out. Sam had flopped over on her stomach and was petting Thor a little harsher than was normal. He was trying to get away from her but, she kept dragging him back, "Where're you goin', my little sugar man?"

Jack nearly choked on his own laughter. Sam was a pretty funny drunk. "Hey, I thought I was your 'sugar man'," he objected.

"You're a royal pain in the ass. Thor's my sweet little sugar man." Sam tried to give the squirming kitten a big kiss just to prove her point but he managed to escape her grasp. Sam groaned and nearly rolled off the bed. "I don' feel so good."

* * *

Sam opened her eyes with a groan. Thankfully the curtains were drawn over the sliding glass doors.

"Sleeping beauty awakens," said an unnaturally cheery voice beside her.

Sam rolled over to face her companion. "That is the last time I ever drink anything out of a coconut." Sam groaned again and began recalling the events of the previous evening. "I should be pissed at you. You got me drunk."

"I had help."

"I hate you."

"I know." Jack reached over to the nightstand and then handed her a couple of Tylenol and a glass of water.

Sam washed the pills down and collapsed back on her pillow. "Why'd you do that?"

"You needed to relax." She glared at him. He knew she hated people telling her that. "Look, Sam, I know this is hard for you, but you've to learn that you're not at the SGC anymore. It's not necessary for you to throw yourself into your work like that."

"It's what I do."

"It _was_ what you did. That isn't your life anymore." She looked like she was on the verge of tears. He hated to see that look. "And I feel like a bastard for taking the life you love away from you, but I prefer to have you living. We can't go back, Sam. We have to move forward, build a new life."

"I know, Jack," she said quietly. "I just don't know what to do. I've spent my whole adult life working like that. Science is my life."

"No one says you can't have your science. Write your book. Write a hundred, but just don't push yourself so hard. It's not like you have a deadline. Live a little."

She reached up to caress his cheek, smiling slightly, "And don't ignore you?"

"It's not about me, Sam. Though I gotta say I don't enjoy waking up in the middle of the night to find you've abandoned me for… antimatter. I just worry about you. I know how hard this is hard for you, Sam."

She knew he was right but she had operated for so long like this, she didn't know any other way. "So what do you suggest?"

"I know this is kinda revolutionary, but how 'bout an average work day 9 to 5. Weekends off to work on your tan."

"I don't tan. I burn."

"You live in Hawaii now. You'll tan."

"What's you're scientific basis?"

"It's Hawaii."

TBC


	23. Scenes from Paradise 2

**Road to Nowhere**

**Part 22 B**

* * *

Sam climbed in the Jeep beside Jack. He had purchased the dark green Wrangler the day before. Green seemed to be the color he preferred in his vehicles. Then he had promptly removed the detachable roof. Sam turned her face up into the warm tropical sun.

"You look nice."

"What?" she asked, his comment pulling her out of her sun worship. She turned to look at him but his attention was on the road and his eyes unreadable behind his dark sunglasses.

"The dress. It's different. In a good way," he added. "You look nice."

Sam turned to look out at the passing roadside to hide her smile, but Jack caught it anyway.

"Oh, stop it," he growled. "I'm kinda out of practice paying compliments to beautiful ladies."

"You're improving quickly. Thank you, Jack," She looked down at her floral printed sundress, "You don't think I look to girly?"

"No, you look-" he stopped searching for the correct word.

"Nice?" she teased.

"Gorgeous."

She reached over and patted his leg. "Keep it up, flyboy. You're getting better."

* * *

Jack had been shanghaied by Thomas into helping him with a stakeout so Sam had been entrusted to Higgins' care. Jack wouldn't allow her to go anywhere alone. While part of her bridled at being constantly escorted, she had to concede to the prudence of it. At least for the time being.

So Sam followed Higgins and his friend Agatha around all day. They were excellent guides for the Polynesian Cultural Festival. Higgins especially was a fountain of knowledge. He reminded her a little of Daniel, an older formal British Daniel, but still he could ramble on for hours. Agatha was a kind and thoughtful lady and just as knowledgeable as Higgins though more restrained in her rambling. It was plain to Sam that her feelings for Higgins were a little more than friendly. Not that he noticed.

Over lunch Sam had asked Higgins how he and Jack met. He had answered with a reply just as cryptic as Jack's had been, "That, Samantha, is a story for another day and one Jack should tell."

* * *

"My goodness," Agatha gasped staring out the windshield.

"What in the world ..." Higgins also sounded stunned.

"What?" Sam looked between the front seats to see Magnum and Jack standing in the drive way in nothing but their underwear and their faces covered in mud. The gardener was coming around the corner of the house pulling a hose. Sam opened the door and jumped out the Audi. She walked over to them trying to hold her laughter in, but couldn't contain her grin. They stood impassively with their arms cross nonchalantly over their bare chests, their clothes in a muddy pile beside them. Her laughter broke free when she caught sight of Jack's boxers covered in the yellow heads of the Simpson's cast.

Jack and Thomas were not amused.

"What the devil happened to you?" Higgins asked behind her.

Sam got her laughter under control. "I thought you were supposed to going on a stakeout not mud wrestling."

"Yes, well. That's I thought," Jack glared at Thomas who looked decidedly innocent. "I suppose this is why Rick and TC refused to help. I'm the sucker."

"Hey, you're the one that fell down in the mud, Jack," Thomas protested. "I was trying to help you up and you pulled me down."

"I did not pull you down! It was slippery. Besides if you had been paying attention I wouldn't have been chasing the bastard through the rain forest!"

"It wasn't a rain forest. It-"

"Oh, just shut up. This is the last time I'm helping you out."

"It's just a little mud, Jack."

"A little mud? I got mud in places I didn't even know I had, Thomas!"

If Jack was intending to say anything else he was silenced by a long blast of cold water in his face. "SAM!" he protested, but she only laughed and sprayed the rest of his body. "What the hell was that for?" He wiped the water from his eyes and ran a hand through his soaked hair.

Thomas started laughing him, but he was given the same treatment. After a few minutes of alternating between the two of them, they were both relatively mud free.

"That wasn't nice, Sam," Jack told her as she handed the hose back to the gardener.

"No, but it was fun. You need to relax, Jack," she taunted him.

He lunged for her, "I'll show you relaxed." Sam was quicker than he was and eluded his grasp. She continually danced just out of his reach as he chased her around the yard. She had been concentrating on staying away from Jack and had forgotten about Thomas until she ran smack dab into him. Jack was on her in an instant, dragging her down to the ground. "Gotcha!"

"Hey, that's not fair!" she protested, squirming beneath Jack trying to escape.

"I'll show you fair," Jack growled and she was suddenly drenched in water.

"That's COLD!"

"We know," Thomas told her spraying her again.

"Jack, please stop. Thomas! My dress! Jack! I thought you liked it!"

"I'll buy you another one."

* * *

Jack was sprawled out on the chase lounge watching the sun set over the Pacific. It was beautiful and Jack would have enjoyed it even more if Sam was snuggled up against him, but she was still pretending he didn't exist after the water fight. Jack grinned to himself and took a sip of his beer as he remembered how indignant Sam had been, squealing and trying to get away, but that was what she got for mocking him.

He heard the sliding glass door open and then closed. Thor jumped up and settled onto his lap, licking the condensation off of Jack's bottle.

"You know, I bought you something today," he heard Sam say from behind him. "I'm not sure if you deserve it though."

He leaned his head back and saw her staring down at him, "You talkin' to me now?"

"If you promise not to do something like that again."

"I don't think I can do that. It was too much fun," he smirked up at her.

"One of these days I'm gonna end up killing you, Jack," Sam shook her head and then leaned down and kissed him lightly.

"Probably. But I'd die happy."

She laughed, "You are such a sap." She came around and plucked Thor out of his lap and sat down there herself. Jack wrapped his arms around her and she laid her head back on his shoulder, silently watching the sunset.

"So…"

"What?"

"Whatcha get me?"

Sam smiled to herself and reached into her pocket and pulled out a small light green cotton bag. She handed it to Jack. He opened the drawstring and took out a length of brown braided leather with a carved green stone about the size of a quarter hanging at the center. "It's a peridot," she told him.

"That's my favorite color."

"I know. Every time I see one I think of you. I saw this at the festival today." She reached out and fingered the image carved into the stone, "That's Milu. He's lord of the underworld and wandering sleeping and unconscious souls end up in his realm if they aren't pardoned by their personal gods."

"Not a Goa'uld was he?"

"Not that I've heard of. This amulet will protect you from nightmares and being trapped in the underworld while you sleep. It was blessed by a powerful Kahuna."

"A big Kahuna?" Jack couldn't resist the joke, partly because he couldn't express how moved he was by her gift. It was so unlike scientific Sam to even give folklore a second thought. Perhaps Daniel had rubbed off on her more than he thought. He didn't even have the words to tell her how pleased he was that she remembered something as trivial as his favorite color. Something he'd probably mentioned only in passing years ago. Then there was the thought behind it. His nightmares were becoming less and less frequent since getting poisoned, but they both knew he would always have them. He knew she wanted to protect him from his nightmares as much as he did hers.

"No, actually he was kinda short," she smiled at him a little uncertainly, unsure of how her gift had been received.

"Thank you, Sam," he leaned up and gave her a grateful kiss. "Put it on for me."

Sam took the necklace from his hands and reached around his neck to tie it together. She gave it a final pat where it lay just below the hollow at his throat. He hugged her tightly to him and pressed a kiss to her forehead. She settled against him and watched the final moments of the sunset.

----

TBC


End file.
